


I Got Your Back

by AnimaSola



Category: Def Leppard
Genre: Bass - Freeform, Brotherhood, Brothers, Cameras, Cell Phones, Cheating, Concerts, Depression, Divorce, Drums, F/M, Gen, Groupies, Guitars, Integrity, Las Vegas, Loyalty, Massage, Memories/Flashbacks, Mental Health Issues, Multi, Music, New Friendships, Other, Residency, Self Esteem Issues, Sex, Singing, Suspicions, Trust, Wristbands, YouTube, baby fever, being nosy, mention of cheating, mention of divorce, old loves, texting/sexting, the past coming back to bite asses, videos
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-05
Updated: 2020-07-18
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:29:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 26,705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24556951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnimaSola/pseuds/AnimaSola
Summary: At the start of their Las Vegas residency in America, the men of Def Leppard decide to make full use of the hotel's amenities between shows. Massage is at the top of their collective lists. Def Leppard's bassist Rick "Sav" Savage puts it off for as long as he's able to and arranges for a massage session to get loose. What happens during and after the session is not at all what he planned or expected...
Relationships: Rick Savage/Holly Wyatt (OC)
Comments: 11
Kudos: 17





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This is a work of FICTION and is intended to be as such. Any references or resemblances to persons living, dead, or otherwise (!!!) is coincidental, intended, and unintentional all at once (if you know what I mean). Absolutely no harm or defamation is meant or intended in any way to any of the real life people whose names and likenesses are used here with VERY dramatic license. I wish the real life people all the very best!
> 
> I also need to state, for the record, that I in no way, shape, or form have met or know ANY of the people mentioned or involved in this story personally. This is just an idea that I've had slamming around in my head for a while now after watching several vlogs on YouTube hosted and posted by the band members and their entourage. I needed to get this down and out. (Ha!)

Holly jolted awake from a dead sleep to the obnoxious sound of a literally screaming cellphone. She had found and set a screaming ringtone as her alert and alarm a while back and it never failed to make her jump. It proved to be very effective. She was mentally cursing it out though. She had taken the day off from work and just wanted to take things easy for the day. Looking at her bedside clock, she saw that it was 7:30 AM. Groaning, Holly rolled over in bed, snatched her phone off the side table, and silenced the screaming. Flicking on the screen, she saw a notification about a text from her business partner Kim marked "Urgent".

 _Since when are texts urgent?_ she wondered.

Opening the message from Kim, she read it silently, her eyes quickly coming into focus as she read. Holly inhaled sharply when she realized the full importance of the message. She shook her head and rubbed her eyes, trying to get clear. She couldn't believe what she was reading.

 _No way! This can't be real_ , she thought. _Def Leppard is coming HERE to do a series of shows and film them for TV?_

Pulling up a response screen, Holly dashed off a text to Kim:

 _ **Kim, are you kidding me?! Def Leppard are coming HERE??? In 4 days??! Don't bullshit me. I just woke up and haven't had my coffee yet.** _<send>

After sending her response, Holly sat up in bed and waited, shaking out and fluffing her long hair. She was in that rare mindset where she wasn't sure if she wanted to have a fangirl moment at the idea that one of her all-time favorite rock bands would be in her hotel for a month (!) or swear a blue streak at one of the cruelest practical jokes Kim could ever pull on her. As Holly was well out of her teens, 20s, and into her 30s, the fangirl moment seemed kind of inappropriate for someone her age. However, if what she was told somehow turned out to be true, she thought she just might be able to muster up a squeal the likes of which could possibly shatter glass.

As she thought this, her phone buzzed in her hand, Holly pulled up the screen and opened Kim's response:

_**Holly...honey...I am not kidding. I wouldn't do that to you, at least not while sober. :-P Def Leppard and their entourage will be here in 4 days. I was told only this morning by hotel management. Massage staff have exactly 4 days to get ready for their arrival. Go have your coffee. I'll call you later. ~K** _

Holly gasped and dropped her phone on the bed. Her eyes bugged out and her hands came up to cover her shocked face. It was true! She allowed herself a fangirl moment and squealed like a teenager, thrilled that not only was Def Leppard coming, but that she just might actually get to meet them and see a few of their shows. A huge grin appeared on her face. She had so much to do and so little time to get it all done in. She was up for the challenge though.

Retrieving her phone, Holly tapped her contact list and pulled up her sub-list of suppliers to start making calls. She was taking no chances that massage staff would run out of anything while the band was there. The linen supplier around the corner from the hotel was called for new linens, towels, robes, and spa footwear in various sizes. The natural skin care place she and Kim did their business with was called for complete sets of their top-of-the-line oils, lotions, masks, and scrubs. A few sets of basalt stones were also ordered to have on-hand for hot and cold stone massages. All were to be delivered ASAP. Holly then called the hotel's maintenance department and requested that someone come to the massage areas to check every massage table and chair, the plumbing, every towel warmer and appliance, and her stone crock pot to make sure that all were operating correctly and at peak efficiency.

Holly's final call was to the hotel hair salon. Her hairdresser (and good friend) Hazel happened to have a last-minute cancellation and was able to book her in for an appointment. Holly thought that now would be a good time to get her hair touched up. She'd been putting it off for far too long. Sure, it would cost her an extra-large espresso coffee to bribe Hazel with and make her happy, but the end results would be totally worth it. Hazel was a genius when it came to colors and cuts.

Once Holly hung up, she bounced out of bed, walked to her kitchen to start her coffeemaker, and then dashed to the bathroom to shower and get her day going. She plugged her cellphone in and turned on her music. As she showered, the sounds of classic rock music blasted out. She was more excited than she'd been in a long time. Holly hoped and prayed that things went off without a hitch during the band's stay at the hotel.


	2. The Arrival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Def Leppard "circus" comes to town...

It was the first day of Def Leppard's residency in America. Everybody was trying to get their schedules and routines established so that things went along as smoothly as possible for the time they would be there. There was to be a series of meetings in one of the hotel's conference halls to coordinate as much as possible. The band members, techs, assistants, wardrobe staff, and everyone were all required to attend so everyone knew what everyone was up to and when. Hotel staff were also in attendance, though they'd be introduced to everyone later in the meeting. There were printed pages of itineraries and discussion notes in folders passed out to everyone as they came in.

People had started to file in to the conference hall after being handed their folders at the door. Some came in small groups while others came in individually. The band members came in as a unit and were handed folders of a different color than everyone else's. Each man had a bottle or cup of something to drink or a notebook or both. Their wives were also in attendance, except for one.

It was rumored that Sav and his wife Paige were separated and having trouble with their marriage. She had declined the trip to America to support and spend time with Sav during the residency. Though his band mates checked in on him throughout the day, Sav just wanted to work and play music. He appreciated their concern for him, and he loved them all dearly, but there was nothing anyone could really do. No one knew about the specifics that had gone on between Sav and his wife; just that things were bad. He had some serious decisions to consider making and no one could make them for him. He just hoped that Paige wouldn't do anything drastic at home while he was in Las Vegas fulfilling contractual obligations. Her past experiences and history with bouts of depression, suicide attempts, and other mental health issues meant that anything could happen.

Once everyone had been seated at their assigned tables, the meeting started. Everyone quieted down somewhat to focus on the important stuff. Joe and Vivian were huddled over paperwork from their folders, excitedly whispering to each other about the bright pink hotel amenities list provided to just the band members by the hotel. Viv poked his finger at something about halfway down the page, which prompted a grin and a 'thumbs-up' gesture from Joe. Phil was smiling and nudging Rick about the list as well. Rick looked over to Sav from across the table and held up the pink piece of paper, then gestured to the folder in front of Sav. Sav quirked an eyebrow at him and sifted through his folder, finding the pink paper the guys seemed so excited about.

While the person in front of the room was droning on about potential logistical problems, Sav read the sheet. The hotel amenities list was fairly lengthy, offering all kinds of activities and services. He saw listings for bartenders and sommeliers for private functions, in-house room service including hibachi sessions for gourmet meals, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, a sizable in-house gym and spa (wouldn't Eric the trainer love that), slot machines and regular group trips to casinos outside the hotel, shopping areas with privacy features for those discerning guests that wanted exclusive experiences, and staff available 24/7 to get guests anything and everything they wanted or needed.

Sav's eyes then drifted down to the halfway point on the page Viv had pointed out to Joe. He saw a listing for licensed massage therapists. There were three listed with contact information: Betsy, April, and Holly.

Flicking his eyes back to Rick, Sav raised his eyebrows and smiled. Rick smiled back, his eyes glittering mischievously. Sav guessed that the guys were all in agreement regarding the massage staff. He was intrigued himself, but made no definitive plans just yet. He re-focused his attention on the speaker, absentmindedly tapping his fingers on the pink paper. Joe looked over to Sav just then and smiled, seeing the tapping fingers. Joe suspected he knew which of the amenities Sav would try out first.


	3. Hear Ye! Hear Ye!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Word gets out about the massage staff...

It had only been a day or two since arriving at the hotel when Sav had started hearing about the massage staff, specifically Holly, from a couple of his band mates. They had booked appointments with her almost immediately when their aching muscles had gotten the better of them as well as to get loose.

Phil especially raved about Holly's capabilities and even mentioned how she'd taught his wife Helen a few deep tissue techniques to use on him between visits to the massage table.

Joe had also filled Sav's ears with positive reviews about Holly's uncanny ability to suss out problem areas before they became excruciating. Joe also added, as an aside, that Holly wasn't exactly hard on the eyes either. Joe made a hand gesture around his mid-chest area that Sav hadn't seen him make in ages. Joe implied without saying a word that Holly was well-endowed up top. The comment and gesture were reminiscent of their younger, hungry-for-fame days when all the band members prowled for women at shows. While Sav couldn't lay claim to being a saint in his youth, the gesture earned Joe a frown from him. Both Phil and Joe were happily married to beautiful women. To hear such effusive praise from Joe about a woman's physical appearance that wasn't his wife seemed...disloyal.

Viv and Rick had also been to sessions with Holly, though they both switched off to April and Betsy afterwards. They both had nothing but praise for her. Betsy had extensive experience with amputees, so Rick went to her to see what she could do for him.

Sav couldn't deny that his curiosity was piqued. His shoulders, back, and legs had been practically screaming at him for relief for a while.

While having breakfast in the hotel's buffet area, Sav retrieved the pink amenities list and pulled out his cell phone. Finding the list of massage therapists, he tracked down the contact information for the woman he kept hearing about:

Holly Wyatt, Senior Licensed Massage Therapist, Ext. 127, cell phone (texts only): (xxx) xxx-xxxx.

Sav pulled up a text screen, input her name and number, and then put his phone down. He paused, thinking about what he wanted to say in his message to her. From what he had been told, his bandmates thought highly of her and recommended her without reservation. Sav was the last holdout, it seemed. He took a sip of water and continued eating.

After a couple of minutes, he put his fork down and picked up his phone again. He typed in:

_**Hi Holly. This is Rick Savage. My bandmates have been to you for massages and have recommended your services. I'm in need of an appointment to loosen up my shoulders, back, and legs. I'm wondering what you have available on your schedule. Let me know?** _

Then, in a rather cheeky move, Sav added a small pretzel emoji at the end of his message. He hit <send> and watched it go. He took a minute to add Holly's information to his permanent contact list in his phone so he wouldn't have to keep hunting for the amenities list all the time. Putting his phone back down, he got on with breakfast, taking his time.

Several minutes had gone by when Sav's phone erupted in an explosion of noises. There was suddenly a group chat message from Joe, asking about changes to the set list for that night's show. Before Sav could respond, Viv chimed in with suggestions, as did Phil and Rick. A few of the techs responded as well. These group chats were usually helpful, but could get confusing at times if he didn't keep track of the thread's direction. Sav tapped out a response to the group, adding his two cents into the mix.

Then came another message from Joe specifically for him, asking about a round of golf the following day at a course not far from the hotel. Was he up for it? Sav waited to respond to that one. Joe was a great friend, his best friend, but his golf game sucked. Sav wasn't sure if he had the patience to teach Joe again how to play the game. He did like Joe's enthusiasm though. It was contagious. Whatever Joe did, he went all in with gusto. Sav put his phone back down.

After a lull in the frantic back and forth of everyone, another beep. Another message. Sav tapped the screen. This message was from Holly:

 _ **Rick, hi! I'm sorry I didn't get back to you sooner. Was with a client. I can see you later today @ 4:00 PM. You'll be my last appointment for the day. Does this work for you? Also, please tell me that you haven't reached the pretzel stage of discomfort as your emoji suggests.**_ She'd added a worried face emoji to her message at the end.

Sav smiled, pulled up a response screen, and typed back:

 _ **Not at pretzel stage yet. Need an intervention though. Only partially twisted. Will take the 4 PM. Oh, and you can call me "Sav".**_ <send>

Holly responded:

 _ **I'm relieved to hear you're only semi-pretzel. I can work with that. Come casual. I'll be waiting for you, Sav. -Holly**_ She'd attached a picture of a jar of Dijon mustard to her message.

Sav grinned when he saw the mustard picture. Holly, it seemed, had a quick sense of humor. He typed back:

 _ **On my way to rehearsals. See you at 4. Looking forward to meeting you. Sav**_ <send>

Putting his phone away, Sav finished breakfast and got up to head to rehearsals. The guys had to learn the new stage set-up, as well as where the lights would be, how they'd hit on-stage, and get the sound levels right. He also had to swing by wardrobe to figure out what to wear and how many changes of clothing he'd want throughout the show. It was pretty standard stuff, but it needed to be done. Def Leppard shows were known for being high-energy and having lots of movement. Sav himself had a bit of a reputation for practically flying across the stage as he played and sang.

As he made his way to the arena area, he found himself hoping that Holly could loosen him up so he could be as mobile as possible for the show that night. He was really looking forward to meeting her, this woman his friends had raved about. If her personality in-person was even a hint similar to what her texts were like, he knew he'd enjoy himself. He chuckled to himself when he thought about the mustard picture she'd sent in response to his pretzel emoji. Pretzels and mustard...he hadn't had that in ages. Perhaps before the appointment, he'd try to scrounge up a few soft pretzels and some Dijon...

At her end of the text exchange, Holly was smiling like she'd just won the lottery. Rick Savage had requested an appointment with her. Of course, she was going to give him one. She'd have cleared her entire schedule if necessary to make sure she'd have an open time slot for him, but she'd keep that to herself. She made scheduling exceptions very rarely. She looked down at her phone and saw that her hand was shaking slightly. She was so nervous and excited. Breathing deeply to calm herself down, she added his contact info to her phone. She had the other band members' numbers also, but this one was special to her. She starred it, marking it as a favorite.

Looking at the time, she snapped herself out of the euphoric haze that had hit her and got the suite ready for her next appointment. It was going to be difficult concentrating on her job, but she could do it. She called upon every ounce of professionalism she could muster up to make sure each of her appointments leading up to Sav's got an excellent experience from her. There were a lot of very stressed out people who needed relief coming to see her and she was more than happy to do what she had to in order to make them feel better leaving than when they walked in. 


	4. I See You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A simple massage turns into much more...

Rehearsals were going well. The band was playing and singing better than expected. Everyone brought their "A-game". The band members usually did, but it felt different this day. The techs had spoken at length with their respective band members about instruments, tuning, and volume levels while the sound guys pulled out the classic Def Leppard sound from the sound booth. It resembled a NASA control room at times with all the laptops, monitors, cases, speakers, cables, computer equipment, pedals, various cell phones, and sound boards wired up all over in crazy configurations. It felt like old times when the band was younger, hungrier, and itching to hit big.

Joe and Phil couldn't stop smiling. Viv was more enthusiastic and smiley than usual. His middle finger, sometimes a sign of frustration and other times a sign of a good mood (it was always a bit of a crap shoot figuring out when he was which), didn't make an appearance once. Even Rick was grinning ear-to-ear from behind his kit as he counted them in to song after song. They were in their element.

Sav immersed himself in the music and, in some cases, the memories the songs brought back. He thought of Steve during certain songs when Phil recreated the guitar solos down to the subtle embellishments that Steve had played in front of live audiences. Sav's playing reflected his current frame of mind and mood. Music was just flowing like water. The guys were glad that Sav seemed upbeat, engaged in the creative process, and more like his old cheerful self. Rehearsals went on...

At 3:00 PM, Sav mentioned to the rest of the band that he had a massage appointment and would be heading out, seeing them all later on. He would join them at the pre-show buffet before they hit the wardrobe, hair, and prep areas. His friends wished him well and told him to enjoy the down time. Joe smiled and wagged his eyebrows at him, making a goofy face as Sav passed by him, earning him a half-assed knuckle punch to the gut. Both men laughed.

As Sav walked away, he pulled his cell phone out and gave the hotel's room service a call. He asked about the possibility of ordering and picking up a few soft pretzels and a jar of Dijon mustard. He knew it was short notice, but it couldn't hurt to at least ask.

On the other end of the call, the hotel employee paused, asked someone in the background about the request, and then told Sav that it wouldn't be a problem. An employee could even bring the items to him wherever he was at that time if he wanted. Sav told them where he physically was, what he looked like, what he was wearing, and that he'd wait for the food. Within twenty minutes, Sav had his bag of pretzels and mustard and was on his way to his appointment.

He was really looking forward to this. Sav hadn't had a professional massage in a long time, though during past tours, he'd had them regularly. Because of the amount of energy he expended on stage while performing and being in near-constant motion from start to finish, he took a lot of wear and tear on his body. He found himself very much looking forward to meeting Holly. Her concern for his current state of discomfort was refreshing, her humor a nice change of pace and very much appreciated.

As he approached her massage suite, Sav checked his reflection in a glass panel he passed. He looked slightly rumpled and definitely casual. He wore comfortable jeans, an old tour t-shirt, and sneakers. His hair was a bit all over the place, but he didn't care. He removed his sunglasses, sticking them in the collar of his shirt.

As he stepped inside the suite, Sav noticed the difference in atmosphere and ambiance right away. It was calm and peaceful, as opposed to the controlled chaos of backstage. When was the last time he'd been somewhere peaceful and not been on vacation somewhere? He couldn't recall. He closed the door to the suite behind him and called out, "Hello? Holly? It's Sav!"

From the back room, a cheerful female voice called out, "I'll be right there!"

Sav looked around the room. He was impressed by the soft blues, greens, and yellows in the color scheme. They inspired a sense of tranquility. To Sav's right, tucked into a corner, he saw an overstuffed chair in a cream-colored fabric. To his left was a comfortable-looking sofa in the same fabric and a small side table. Near the sofa, a large folding bamboo dressing screen with understated patterns of color was up and spread open for clients to duck behind to get ready for their sessions. Along one wall, there were narrow tables with what looked like an electric cookpot on one surface with a large bowl of rocks next to it. There were also bottles, jars, and towels of all sizes and colors. On a separate table, a small CD player with speakers was set up and a small stack of CDs nearby. A quick glance showed "pause" had been pressed on whatever CD was in the player.

As Sav was checking out his surroundings with interest, Holly quietly walked out from the back room to him. She stopped a few feet away from him and just stared. She was star-struck for a few seconds. Pictures she'd seen of him over the years really didn't do him any justice. He was checking out the room and hadn't heard her approach. She spoke up, "Sav?"

Sav turned at the sound of her voice, a smile on his face. He looked at her and stopped dead in his tracks. He stared. He couldn't help it. The woman in front of him was beautiful. Crass comments aside, Joe had been correct in his assessment of her. Holly had shoulder-length, curly blonde hair, blue-gray eyes, and fair skin. She stood approximately 5'7" tall and had a curvaceous figure clearly seen through her clingy black yoga pants and t-shirt. She was also barefoot.

He got his wits about him and asked, "Holly?"

She smiled at him and nodded, "That's me." She stepped forward and held out her hand for him to shake, which he took, noticing how soft her skin was and the colorful wrist tattoos she had. "It's a genuine pleasure to meet you," she told him.

"Likewise," he said as he stared. Pleasure was evident in his voice. Yeah, he was going to enjoy this more than he thought.

Holly noticed that he kept her hand in his. She couldn't believe he was actually in front of her, in her space.

"How are you?" she asked him.

Sav joked, "Upright, thanks." He released her hand slowly.

"So I see," she laughed, "Any sharp pain in your back or shoulders?"

Sav nodded, unable to look away from her face.

Holly got serious, stating, "I'll do what I can to relieve your pain."

She walked over to the door of the suite, opened it just long enough to hang the "Closed" sign on the outer handle, and closed and locked it. She turned back to him and noticed the bag in his hand. She gestured to it, "Do you want to put your bag down on the table?"

Sav snapped out of the fog he was in and grinned, "I brought you something." He handed her the bag.

Holly took it from him, curious. She noticed it was warm and felt heavy. She opened it and peeked inside. The smell of fresh bread floated out. She saw three soft pretzels and what looked like a jar. Looking back to him, she raised her eyebrows. When she reached in and pulled out the jar, she burst out laughing, "You didn't...seriously? What did you do?"

Sav laughed, "I did. I had to. How could I not?" His eyes twinkled.

She looked at the jar. Dijon mustard. Not unlike the picture she'd sent him as a joke. The look on her face was priceless. Sav thought she couldn't look more beautiful than when she laughed.

Still laughing, Holly said, "Thank you. Do you want to try these now? Join me..." Her eyes lit up and locked with his. "We could take a few minutes before we get started," she suggested.

He nodded and followed her to the sofa. They sank down into the cushions. She offered him the bag and he reached in to pull out a pretzel. She did the same. Placing the bag and her pretzel on the table, she unwrapped the plastic around the lid of the jar and cracked it open. A strong scent of spices and white wine assaulted her nose. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, a sound of appreciation escaping her throat. Holly offered Sav the open jar, "You get 'first dip'."

Sav chuckled and tore off a piece of his pretzel, dipping it into the jar. Pulling back, Holly watched as he took a bite, a grin on his face. He was nodding in appreciation.

Holly tore a chunk off her pretzel, dipped it, and bit in. "Mmmm...Oh, that's good," she said.

"I agree," Sav said, "I haven't had these in forever."

They spent the next several minutes eating pretzels, talking, and getting to know each other better. Both were more relaxed now that the initial meeting was past. Holly asked him about his physical complaints and any problem areas he wanted her to know about, as well as any allergies he had to oils or other substances. Sav answered honestly, quietly impressed at the type and depth of her questions.

When it came time for the actual massage session, Holly guided Sav to the area behind the dressing screen so he could get ready. She left a plush robe and couple of large towels for him to use and went into the back room for a few things and to give him time to himself to do what he had to do.

Sav stepped behind the screen and undressed, leaving his clothes on the overstuffed chair. The temperature of the room was just about perfect. He silently walked back to the massage table, wrapping a towel Holly had given him around his hips. He then leaned against the table, listening for any sounds. He could hear Holly puttering around in the back room.

Suddenly, she came out to where he was; in her hand, a large cup with a lid and a straw poking out. She paused her step ever so briefly at the sight of his bare chest and upper body. _Wow_ , she thought. She took in his tattoos: one proclaiming his wife's name in large, fancy letters on an upper arm and what looked like a paragraph or passage from a book on his opposite forearm. She wondered what the passage was about. It looked lengthy. Smiling, she handed him the cup.

"What is it?" he asked her.

She said, "It's just ice water. I thought perhaps you'd like to sip it during the session."

He brought the straw to his lips and sipped, his eyes watching her. "Thank you," he said, a slight flush of color on his face. She'd seen him staring at her and didn't turn away from him or seem uncomfortable. He'd also noticed the slight hitch in her step when she saw him without his shirt on.

_Interesting_ , he thought.

Holly moved to the head of the table, gesturing to the side, "There's a cup holder if you'd like to stash it nearby and have it to hand."

His eyes moved to the cup holder. She'd thought of everything, it seemed. He reached across and placed the cup in the holder.

"So...I need to know two things: Do you prefer oils or lotion and where do you hurt the most?" she asked.

Sav thought for a second, then said, "Lotion, please. And my most painful areas are my shoulder and neck areas. My knees bother me a bit too."

Holly nodded and looked at him. He seemed tired, but his eyes were alert and had a twinkle in them she found fascinating. If she didn't know better, she'd have sworn he'd been checking her out.

"I use an unscented lotion. If you'd like scent added, I have essential oils I can blend for you to add to it," she told him.

He gave it some thought and then told her, "I trust you. Pick something soothing, if you don't mind."

"I'll do that. You're my last booking for today. I can spend extra time working on you if you like or if your schedule allows for it. I know you have a show tonight," she said.

"I have time. I'd like that if it's no trouble," he said, a shy smile appearing on his face.

Holly returned his smile and said, "Why don't you get situated comfortably on the table? Face down is good. I'll be right back." She pivoted and walked to the back room again to prepare his lotion.

Sav watched her go, admiring her walk, the swing of her hips quite nice, and liking how she was barefoot as if it were the most natural thing for her.

He climbed on to the table, positioning himself on his stomach as she suggested. He noticed the cradle for his face and a cut out area lower down on the table. He wondered about the lower cut out until he realized that his groin area fit comfortably in the space when he stretched out. He smiled again, adjusting the towel around his hips. He'd had massages from professionals before, but he'd never been on as well thought out a table as this one. He rested his chin on his hands and waited, watching the doorway to the back room.

She came back into the room with the blended lotion in a bowl and a large blanket over her arm. Placing the bowl on the swivel seat at the head of the table, she went over to him. She noticed that he was in the proper position and draped the blanket over his lower body, lightly tucking the edges in around his waist, hips, and legs. She'd grabbed it out of the warmer, so it imparted a soothing warmth to his tired, achy lower half. Sav sighed contentedly.

"I thought I'd tackle the problem areas first and then work my way down. Then I'll have you turn over and I can work on your legs and upper body. Is that okay with you?" she asked.

He picked his head up slightly and nodded, "Fine with me."

Moving the bowl to the floor at her feet and flipping her hair out of her face, Holly sat on the swivel seat. She rubbed her hands together briskly to warm them, raised them, and ever so gently so as not to startle him, touched Sav's head. She slid her fingers into his hair and across his scalp in small, firm circles. She heard him sigh again, catching a smile on his face as he laid back down, his face moving to the cradle.

As she moved her hands over his skin, she moved his long hair gently to the side, exposing his ear and part of his neck. Holly quietly admired the texture of his hair and the firmness of his skin. Her sense of professionalism was still there, but she felt it blur a bit as she touched him. She'd have to work on that.

She kept her hands moving as she heard him breathe deeply, relaxing into her touch. She knew just how much pressure to apply. Her fingers traveled over his scalp, pressing the curve of his ear, his earlobe, and his temple. He shivered slightly. She moved his hair again and worked on the other side, repeating the pattern.

Sav's eyes were closed and a contented smile was still on his face. He never realized just how much stress could build up in a person. He felt muscles and skin shifting and relaxing as she gently pressed and pulled at him. 

After several minutes, Holly paused and dipped her hand into the bowl of lotion. "I added lavender to the lotion for relaxation. Let me know if it's okay or not," she said quietly.

He nodded.

She moved her hands slowly off him, rubbed the lotion onto both of her palms, and held them under the face cradle so he could smell it.

Sav breathed deeply again, smelling lavender. He felt her hands move to his neck and shoulders, moving steadily over aching muscles, releasing knots and loosening tightness.

Holly smiled as she watched Sav raise himself up slightly and tip his head, allowing her to reach more of the back of his neck. She went with it, rubbing every bit of exposed skin she could reach. He was practically purring like a big cat, he was so into it. She couldn't help grinning.

"How long has it been since you've taken care of yourself like this, Sav?" she asked him.

He said, "Too long," and groaned.

She worked her fingers into his shoulders, noticing they were extremely tight. "Your shoulders are like concrete. I'm amazed you can function with them this tight," she commented.

He groaned again and rasped out, "I ignore it as much as I can, but that only works for so long." 

Holly leaned into him and quietly spoke into his ear, "I know you're hurting right now. I need you to breathe through it, Sav. I'm not going to let you keep hurting. Focus on breathing deeply and slowly, in through your nose and out through your mouth. I need to loosen you up and it may take several minutes per shoulder. Can you breathe for me?"

He nodded, focusing on his breathing as she asked him to. He felt her massaging his muscles and skin and wanted to moan, not in pain, but pleasure. He didn't want to put her off though.

Her hands kneaded, pushed, pulled, and shifted his shoulder, working on him with every bit of her physical strength through the tightness and breaking up knots he hadn't even noticed were there. He was going to be sore and she regretted that.

She finished the one shoulder, rotating it gently in its socket. She noticed he didn't say anything and paused to ask, "Are you all right?"

Sav moaned, "I'll live" and chuckled.

She smiled, "You went quiet on me. I had to ask. You're going to be pretty sore for a while and I'm sorry for that. Hot compresses or showers will help. I also recommend no Pete Townshend-type arm windmills when performing..."

Sav's head shot up and he burst out laughing.

Holly grinned and mumbled, "I swear Pete's double-jointed...hyper-flexible...something's not right with the man..."

Sav just laughed harder, "You wouldn't be the first or the last to speculate about him. He's actually a really good guy and a superb musician, joints be damned. His theatricality makes the rest of us in the business look bad. He's set a really high bar to reach."

She walked around to the other side of the table, dipped into the bowl again, and started in on his other shoulder, the lotion helping to ease her movements on him. She said bluntly, "So...set your own bar. Why strive to reach anyone else's when yours is just as good or even better?"

He turned to look at her over his shoulder, a surprised look on his face.

"What? I've seen several of your shows when I was younger. I always had nosebleed seats near the ceiling. You're damn good at what you do. I've always thought so. Set your own standards. Let others follow yours," she stated, knocking out a couple more knots in his shoulder and soothing the muscles.

Sav asked, "You're a fan? I wouldn't have guessed."

Holly nodded, "Yeah, I am. I have been for years. I love good music. Classic rock especially. I thought 'Hysteria' was phenomenal and that followed 'Pyromania', which is a classic."

He was considering her in a whole new light after her admission. "Do you have any favorite songs?" he asked.

She rotated his other shoulder after working out all the knots, paused, and said, "I do." She carefully placed his arm back on the table, walked over to the CD player and hit "play" with her elbow. The songs 'Personal Jesus', 'Wings Of An Angel', 'Man Enough', and 'Move With Me Slowly' played. Then 'Hysteria' started and he could hear her humming as she started in on his lower back with firm strokes matching Rick's drumbeats.

Sav resumed his original position, his mind racing. He wouldn't have pegged her for being a fan of Def Leppard. He wasn't sure why.

"You're quiet again. Are you in any pain?" she asked him, a worried look on her face.

He said, "Hmmm? No. Actually, I'm feeling really good. My shoulders don't feel the same as they did when I walked in. They feel great."

"I'm happy to hear that," she said. Her hands moved lower on his body, pressing firmly against his covered hip. The fact that she was close to touching his ass wasn't lost on her. _Focus_ , she told herself.

She pulled up the now cool blanket and exposed the outer top area of his leg. A dip into the bowl and her fingers dug into him, hitting on just about every knot, kink, and sore spot he had and then some. He hissed at one point, his leg twitching.

"I'm sorry. I'll ease up a bit," she said quickly.

He raised up and turned to look back at her again and said, "No, don't. It's okay. I need to be loose for tonight remember," a smile on his face.

She nodded and went on to work on his other leg. Then, standing to the side of the table and holding up the blanket to preserve his modesty, she looked away and had him carefully turn over onto his back.

Once he was laying face up, she draped the blanket back over his lower half, loosely tucking in the edges as she had before. She looked at him and found he was staring at her, his blue eyes half-lidded, a lazy smile on his face.

She smiled, "You're staring at me. Do I have mustard on my face or something? You should've said so before now." She jokingly wagged a finger at him.

Sav chuckled, "No, no mustard. I...I like looking at you. You're very pretty."

"Thank you." She blushed.

He noticed and said, "You're blushing. I didn't think women did that anymore."

"Some of us still do sometimes," she said quietly.

Holly picked up his hand and started to massage the muscles in his hand and arm. When she got to the area just before his elbow, she saw him wince. "Ah, a 'hot spot'," she said. She crooked her finger and carefully dragged the knuckle across the problem area. Within a couple of minutes of manipulation, the hot spot was no more. She moved up to the head of the table, keeping one hand on him as she walked around to work on his other arm. His eyes followed her.

When she went to pick up his other hand, Sav tangled his fingers with hers and gave them a gentle squeeze. Holly bit her lower lip, waiting to see what he was going to do next. He just held her hand, rubbing his thumb over her briefly, and then let her go. Holly's pulse was beating wildly. She forced herself to take a deep, quiet breath to steady her nerves. _Breathe_ , she told herself. She had to focus on finishing his massage or she was going to get in trouble with him. She worked on his hand and arm, carefully and expertly finding and clearing other problem areas. He winced only once more.

After gently placing his arm back on the table, she covered him with the blanket to his mid-chest. She walked to the head of the table and sat again on the seat. Wiping her hands on her t-shirt, she carefully placed them on Sav's forehead. She started with small, firm circles and then traveled down to his cheeks. She'd heard years ago about his Bell's Palsy and how the side of his face hadn't fully recovered even after various treatments. When her hand touched the afflicted side, his hand shot out from under the blanket and grabbed her. She jumped, "What is it, Sav? What's wrong?"

Sav said quietly, "My face...I have a medical condition that affects the muscles that control my face..."

Holly came around the side of the table, looked down at him, and held his hand in both of hers. She spoke softly, "I heard about your Bell's Palsy in the media many years ago. I can only imagine what you went through and felt at the time. I want you to know that it doesn't change who you are or affect your intelligence, your talent, or your value as a human being in any way. You're still you. A physical medical condition doesn't change who you are unless you let it. If you're not comfortable with me touching your face, I understand. I'll stop now and we'll call it 'done'. That's no problem at all. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable with me."

Sav was quiet, mulling over her heartfelt words. The acceptance and encouragement she gave him meant so much to him. Still holding her hands, he sat up on the table. The blanket slid down and covered his hips and groin area. He gently pulled her closer to the side of the table, pressing her hands against his chest.

"You have no idea how much what you just said means to me, Holly. Since having this happen, and getting older as well, I've been more than a little self-conscious about my face over the years. Most days, it's not an issue. Other days, when I'm over-tired, I have to work with it. I see the magazine pictures and other shots taken of me online by professionals and fans. I cringe sometimes, thinking of the judgements people make when they see me, but there isn't much I can do about it. So far as I've been told, there's no cure. I wasn't expecting your acceptance. Honestly, I didn't know what to expect. You've given me a real gift. Thank you for that," he said. He brought her hands to his lips, gently kissed her fingers, and let go of them.

Holly smiled at him, "I only told you the truth as I know it. I'll give you some space. Take as much time as you need to collect yourself. The door is locked and the sign is out, so you won't be walked in on. I'll be in the back room if you need anything." She reached for his cup, handed it to him, and walked away.

Sav turned to watch her leave, again admiring the swing of her hips. He looked down at himself. One hand held the cup and the other pulled on the blanket covering his lower body. He swung his legs over the side of the table. He pulled the lid off the cup and had a huge drink of water. It was still cold and felt good going down. He took a deep breath and marveled at this turn of events. Holly had really surprised him, on many levels. He thought about the reservations he'd had before booking the appointment with her. He was glad he finally did.

After several minutes, Sav got up and got dressed, bringing his shoes out from behind the screen with him. He noticed how much easier it was for him to move after Holly worked on him. He was sore in places as she said he'd be, but a hot shower would take care of that. He also noticed that a certain part of his body was not as relaxed as the rest of him. He adjusted his jeans as best he could. He still clutched the cup, now almost empty.

He called out to her, "Holly?" There was no response. When she didn't come back out to him, he went looking for her. He wandered into the back room and found her.

Holly had her back to the door, her hair hanging down around her shoulders. She was leaning against the counter, one hand massaging an area on the right side of her lower back, the other gripping the counter, white-knuckled. She was focused on her pain and trying to ease it herself as she did for others.

Sav quietly walked over to stand just behind her. Not saying a word, he tentatively reached out and covered her hand with his on her lower back. Holly inhaled quickly, but said nothing.

"You're hurting," he said, placing the cup on the counter next to her. 

She nodded slowly, still not saying anything.

"Let me help you," he said.

Not trusting her voice, Holly nodded again.

She felt his hand gently move hers off her lower back, replacing it with his. She stood still as his hand mimicked her movements from their session, pressing just firmly enough to loosen tight muscles and soothe. Her head tipped forward and her legs moved apart slightly.

"How long has this been going on?" Sav asked her, keeping his hand moving across her skin under her t-shirt. The problem area was radiating heat he could feel.

She winced, "For years, off and on. I had spinal surgery a few years ago for a disc problem. It didn't help as much as I'd hoped it would. There were also unforeseen complications."

Sav leaned into her, the touch of his right hand continuing to soothe. His left hand came up to her opposite hip to keep her steady as he moved. He was aware of and trying to ignore the erection that was now actively distracting him.

What he wasn't aware of was that Holly was trying not to lean back into his arms and let the answering gush between her legs become noticeable. To have a man she'd admired and lusted after for so many years willingly touching her, wanting to make her feel good, was almost too much for her to handle. Her breathing suddenly hitched and got a bit ragged.

Sav noticed her reaction just then. He figured out what his touch was doing to her and realization lit up his face, "It's not just back pain you're feeling, is it?"

She turned her head to the side. All she could do was be honest with him. "No," she breathed, "I'm feeling...so much more than that." She inhaled sharply when he slid his left hand from her hip across to her belly and moved closer to brush his body against hers.

"I feel it too," he said quietly, "I've been feeling it since I first laid eyes on you earlier."

Holly trembled in his arms, her arousal ratcheting up deep in her core. She could feel his erection nudging at her, making her shake.

Moving her hair away from her neck and propping his chin on her shoulder, he asked, "What should we do about this?"

Taking a shaky breath in, Holly said, "I want you, Sav. I want you more...than I...want to breathe right now."

Sav nuzzled her ear, and then turned her to face him. He held her face between his hands and leaned in to kiss her, moving his hips against hers as he did so. He kissed her gently at first, then he went deeper as she responded to him. He felt her hands slide around his waist, pulling him tightly against her.

The kiss was suddenly the center of everything, their tongues meeting and gliding against each other, tasting. Heat blazed between them, neither one wanting to pull back from the other.

Holly felt Sav's hips grind against hers, moving his erection across the heat between her legs. She moaned into his mouth, keeping the kiss going. Her hands moved to his hips, fingers grasping and flexing. She felt lean muscle as he continued to grind against her.

Sav's hands moved from her face to her back, tugging at her. What little space there had been between them was gone. Her breasts pressed against his chest. When he felt that, he gasped, feeling her nipples brush against him through the fabric. He asked, "Are you sure you want this?"

Holly looked up at him and nodded, "Yes. Are you?"

He kissed her roughly, saying, "Yes..."

She grabbed his hand and led him through the back room to a door marked "Private". It was her adjoining private hotel suite. She led him in and shut the door behind them.

Once making their way to her suite, things hit overdrive between them. Sav pressed her up against the door, moving his leg between hers and pinning her hands to the door above her head. For several minutes, long, lush kisses blended into each other until they were just a continuous wave of sensation.

They eventually made it to the bedroom. Backing him up to the bed, Holly broke away and gently guided him backwards. Sav fell back onto the mattress, a look of intense hunger on his face. He scrambled to move further towards the middle of the bed and reached for her like a starving man. Holly let out a surprised squeak as she fell forward into his waiting arms. She giggled, hearing him let out a soft "oof" as she came down on top of him. His arms immediately wrapped tightly around her, pinning her on top of him. He pulled her up to his face and kissed her deeply before she could think. Holly's hands came up to tangle in his hair. Her hips slid across his, rolling instinctively, seeking his heat and the hard length of him.

The kiss continued as hands pulled at clothing, seeking warm skin. Sav's hips moved, sliding upwards against the heat between her legs. His arms, strong and toned after years of playing heavy bass guitars and other musical equipment, held her hips tightly against his so she felt every move he made against her. He craved like he never had with anyone. His need to be inside her was the most intense thing he'd felt in a very long time. It was sharp and greedy and burning, testing his sanity.

For Holly, his intensity was almost overpowering. Every desire she'd ever had paled in comparison to what he was making her feel for him just then. She couldn't yet mentally get her head around it, so she let her body take over.

They parted, breathing heavily, and looked at each other. Holly sat up on him, raising her arms to remove her shirt. Sav watched as she took her shirt off and tossed it to the floor. His eyes didn't leave her as she opened the front catch on her bra and slid it down and off her shoulders. She smiled at him and dangled the bra over his head, dragging the cups gently across his face, teasing him. He growled and swatted the thing away.

Gasping, she said, "Do that again."

"Do what again?" he asked.

Leaning down over him and placing her lips against his ear, she said in a breathy, raw voice, "Growl for me..."

Her tone caused him to do just that...loudly, unapologetically.

Sav reached up and touched her breasts, sliding roughened fingers over her nipples. He pinched. He twisted. He tugged. She cried out, pressing herself into his hands, demanding more.

Pulling her back down to him, he leaned up towards her to kiss her breasts. His mouth was hot and wet and constantly moving on her. He kissed. He licked. He gently bit her. He sucked at her. Holly thought she'd go crazy. He felt so, so good. Her hips continued to roll and move against him as he drove her crazy with his mouth and hands.

Sav moved to her other breast and repeated his actions. She cried out again, the pleasure in her voice echoing in his ears. She reached for his shirt, tugging on it to let him know he had too many clothes on. He ignored her tug, continuing to kiss and tease her. Her hips stopped moving. Sav looked up at her, his mouth still on her breast, but no longer moving. She tugged on his shirt again, trying to push it up and pleaded, "Take this off...please..." He gave her breast one last nip, causing her to gasp.

Without warning, Sav flipped her over so she was under him. He knelt over her and pulled his shirt off over his head. Holding it in one hand, he tossed it to the floor. He then moved to his waist, pulling his jeans and briefs down and off, maneuvering himself above her so she wasn't crushed beneath him. Both garments joined his shirt on the floor.

He reached down to her yoga pants and gave them a hard yank. They easily slid down over the curve of her hips and off. They were tossed. Holly was wearing quite possibly the smallest pair of panties Sav had ever seen...and over the course of his musical career, he'd seen many. More than he'd ever admit to if asked about it. What his band mates didn't know...

He grinned down at her, "How well do you like these?"

Holly gave him a confused look and said, "I like them just fine."

He slowly slid his hand across her skin, nudging his fingertips under the elastic. She panted, liking the feel of his fingers on her skin right there. He liked the panties, but he'd like them better off her. He yanked again and felt a snap. The elastic broke in his hand, allowing him to remove them and toss them. He'd buy her other pairs if she fussed about them later.

Sav turned back to Holly, who was looking up at him. He raised his eyebrows and gave her a smile that wasn't entirely innocent and let his eyes wander over her body now that she was completely naked. Her breasts tempted him to continue his onslaught. Her neck was more easily accessible with her hair out of the way too. He thought he'd start there and just see where his mouth and hands took him.

He briefly looked down at himself, noticing how hard he was. He gave himself a few firm strokes with his hand. Pre-cum had made him slick. Adjusting his position, he leaned into her, grazing his lips over her cheek and moving on to her neck, tasting her. His attention was laser-focused on how he could pleasure her.

As he kissed her, he heard her moaning and panting under him. Music to his ears. His hands roamed over her, one finding and rubbing against her soaked clit, the other steadying himself above her. He caught a whiff of her perfume and her unique scent. It surrounded him, soft and musky-sweet. He inhaled deeply, filling his lungs with her.

He kissed her neck, feeling her hips tip up against his hand at her clit. He felt her hands clutching at his shoulders and tugging on his hair. He wanted every inch of her. Sav continued kissing her, discovering a 'sweet spot' behind her ear that made her tremble beneath him. He stayed there for several minutes, loving how she moved against him and the sounds she made. He kept rubbing her clit at a furious pace, causing her toes to curl and her back to arch.

His cock twitched between her thighs, seeking her heat on its own. He moved against her, feeling how wet she was for him and because of him. He kissed her deeply.

Holly's hands moved across his body as they kissed. Her fingers circled his nipples, rubbing and gently pinching him. He hadn't realized just how sensitive he was there. Every touch caused him to harden to an almost painful degree.

Sav pulled back from her, moaning as she slid under him on the bed and locked her mouth to a nipple. She wasn't letting him go so easily. Her mouth slid over him, sucking and nibbling on him as he'd done to her. He panted, his arousal increasing and his body trembling as she teased him with her mouth. He wasn't going to last long if she kept it up, but fuck if it didn't feel fantastic. She licked him and he broke out into a sweat. He wanted --- no he **_needed_** \--- to be inside her. He carefully moved his upper body away from her mouth and slid his hands up between her thighs, parting them further.

"I can't wait anymore," he bit out, "I need you..."

She moaned hoarsely, "...Please..."

Sav moved his hips forward, positioning himself at her core. His hands firmly held her hips steady as he eased himself into her, not wanting to rush or hurt her.

Holly whined, feeling him enter her until he bottomed out. Her muscles instinctively clenched tightly around him, causing both of them to groan at the pleasure it caused.

"If you do that...I'm...not going to...last," he said gasping, "Give me a minute...so tight..." He bit his lower lip in concentration.

Holly took a deep breath and forced herself to be still when all she wanted to do was to move against him. Above her, Sav had stilled; his eyes were closed, his face was flushed, and he was breathing hard. Holly could see him fighting for some kind of control over his own body. She hadn't realized just how close to cumming he actually was.

Her body responded to his by releasing a gush of warmth around him deep inside her. He felt it and swore, "...fuck..." His hips started to move, his cock thick and hard, hitting every nerve ending she had with every movement he made. Holly moaned, tears rolling down her face. The pleasure was intense.

Sav started moving at a slow, even pace, feeling her muscles clench him tightly on every in-stroke. His hands came to clutch at her ass while her thighs came up around his hips as he rocked forward into her.

Holly reached for him, pulling him down to her for a kiss. As they kissed, their hips continued to move, his cock now moving at a faster, rougher pace. Back and forth. Back and forth. Suddenly, Sav changed the movement of his hips and instead of an in-and-out motion, he bottomed out again and rotated his hips in a churning, corkscrew manner. Both of them groaned loudly at the new sensation, their pace picking up. Hips ground against each other, lips devoured, hands gripped and tugged and caressed.

Holly felt a huge orgasm explode deep inside her. She cried out and her whole body bucked and shook.

Sav wasn't far behind her, panting hard and pistoning his hips, causing her orgasm to last longer than expected. It was his turn to cry out. He came as hard as he ever had in his life. Mentally, he wasn't prepared for the intensity of it. He slammed himself into her, shaking like an earthquake, giving up all he had in him. He collapsed on top of her, groaning at the sheer pleasure flooding his body.

Holly's hands came up to touch him, anchoring him to the moment. Her eyes were half-lidded and she was breathing hard, but she was grinning too. She said, "...my god..."

Above her, Sav barked out a hoarse laugh, "Yeah...fuck..."

She looked up at Sav, brought her thumb across his lips, and whispered, "Beautiful man..." A satisfied smile appeared on her face.

He leaned into her touch, enjoying the feel of her. He moved carefully and slid himself out of her, earning him a moan from her. He dropped to the bed beside her and rolled onto his back, spent.

"Keep that up and I'll never leave," he quipped.

"Can I help it if you feel so good to me?" she breathed, amusement in her voice.

He turned his head to look at her, still breathing hard, but smiling. He noticed that whatever pain or soreness he'd felt from the massage was gone.

Holly turned towards him and asked, "When do you need to be somewhere?"

"Kicking me out, are you?" he joked, moving his hand slowly along her thigh.

She laughed, "No! Never. I'd love to stay like this, just us, for hours. However, you and the guys have a concert, remember? A TV show to do..."

"What time is it?" he asked her.

She flipped her head back and looked at her bedside clock, "Um, it's 6:00 PM."

Making a noise, Sav rolled over slowly and carefully sat up, "I told the guys I'd meet them for dinner before the show." Looking down at the floor, he saw their scattered clothes on the carpet. He shook his head.

"What?" she asked, moving towards him on her stomach. When she saw what he was looking at, she laughed, "Wow..."

He looked at her over his shoulder and grinned, "Good times..."

"Mmhmm...Yes sir. Most definitely." she said with a nod and a lazy stretch.

"Bathroom?" he asked.

She pointed the way for him, "Light switch is on the left going in."

Sav reached back across the bed and scratched gently at her belly, causing her to giggle, then stood up. He made his way to the bathroom to get cleaned up. Once he did, he came out to find Holly still stretched out on the bed, watching him. He grumbled, "You're making this very difficult."

Grinning, she said, "I'm doing no such thing. I'm just laying here, minding my own business." Her hand moved slowly up to her breast, knowing he was watching her.

He got dressed, eyes following her hand, a smirk on his face. He then took the washcloth he brought out with him and carefully cleaned Holly everywhere he could reach. She sat up, grabbing his hand and affectionately kissing his knuckles. She let him go.

"Are you going to be at the show tonight?" he asked with a smile.

She said, "I hadn't made any plans for after dinner. When does it start?"

"8:30 PM," he said, "I can get you backstage if you like. I know someone in the band." He winked at her.

She grinned and said, "I'll be there."

"See you later then," he said. He leaned over her and kissed her quickly. If he didn't do it quickly, he'd never be on-time for the show.


	5. Eats And Greets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Unusual behavior and unsubstantiated conclusions make for an uncomfortable meal...

"So...you finally caved and went for a massage. How was it?" Joe asked Sav, being as blatantly nosy as only he could. Joe would've called it being 'interested', not 'nosy'.

They were at the hotel's buffet, grabbing a meal before the show. Both were holding plates and utensils as they wandered past the enormous food display. There were options available for anyone and everyone: vegetarians, vegans, pescatarians, meat-eaters, and even the ultra-finicky. There was a carving station for various kinds of roasted meats. There was a custom crepe station. There was even sushi made to order. There were dessert tables for those who still had a bit of room left (or a hollow leg) for simple or fancy endings. Desserts from all over the world were represented and made for a sweet finish. A bartender was busily making mixed drinks for those who preferred something fancier with their meals than water or juices. It was quite impressive.

Without looking at Joe, Sav responded, "It went really well. You and Phil were right. Holly is fantastic. I haven't felt this loose in a long time." He heaped some steamed vegetables onto his plate and eyeballed a chicken dish further ahead on the table.

Joe smiled, knowing by instinct that there was more to the story than was being said. There always was with Sav. They'd been best friends for many years and after all that time, Joe knew when there was more going on. He watched as Sav served himself a huge helping of chicken crepes with gravy. It was a lot of food for someone going on-stage in a couple hours. Joe filled his own plate and followed Sav to a table. Viv, Phil, Rick and the wives were all seated and talking animatedly amongst themselves.

As everyone ate, it became obvious to Rick and Joe that something was up with Sav. He barely said a word and kept his attention on his plate for the most part, practically inhaling his food.

"You're awfully quiet, Sav. Something wrong?" Rick asked.

Sav looked up at him, swallowed the food he was eating, and said, "No. I'm just enjoying my meal is all."

Rick flicked his eyes to Joe and raised an eyebrow in question. Joe didn't say anything, but did give Rick a subtle nod as if to say, "I'll find out what's going on." Rick returned the gesture and went back to the on-going table conversation.

Joe took a bite from his plate, carefully glancing at Sav. Sav's face was flushed and his eyes were sparkling. Hell, even his hair was fluffy and that usually didn't happen without having used a lot of hair products. Plus, it was difficult to ignore Sav's appetite considering the amount of food he'd piled onto his plate.

"You can stop staring at me, Joe. I'm fine," Sav said without looking at him.

Joe didn't respond, but Phil gave Sav a curious look at the comment.

Across the room just then, April and Holly walked through the door and grabbed plates and utensils, heading for the buffet tables. The two women were having a lively conversation. Holly burst out laughing at something April said and both Joe and Sav looked up at the sound. Joe smiled, but Sav reacted differently.

Joe watched as Sav's eyes focused on Holly, darkening and glittering as his gaze followed her every move. April and Holly took their full plates to a nearby table and sat, oblivious to the fact that they were being observed. Their conversation continued, both women smiling and laughing as they ate. Sav didn't take his eyes off Holly as he ate.

Joe quietly looked between Sav and Holly and came to a conclusion. It was one he didn't know if he was correct about or not, but he had every intention of asking about later.

As it turned out, Joe wouldn't have to wait until later. He watched as Sav put down his fork and pulled out his cell phone. The bassist's fingers flew across the screen, tapping out his thoughts for only one person to know. He briefly looked it over, then hit _< send>_. He then placed the phone face down by his plate and kept eating.

A few tables away, Joe watched as Holly pulled out her cell phone and read the screen. Her face flushed bright red and a smile appeared as if by magic. She bit her lower lip, poked at her screen, and tapped out a message. She hit _< send>_ and resumed eating.

At his table, Sav's phone went off. He snatched his phone up and jabbed at the screen. As he read what was there, a sly smile appeared on his face. He tapped out a response and sent it.

From across the table, Rick noticed what was going on with Sav and looked concerned. He hoped to talk to Joe before the show if time permitted.

He didn't know about Sav's tryst with Holly yet, but he would soon enough. They all would.

As for Joe, the talk he wanted to have with Sav would wait until after the show. He didn't want anything to even come close to distracting any of them. Something in his gut told him that whatever was going on with Sav would be much more than just a distraction.


	6. Lurker

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the shadows lurk opportunity...and ears...

After meeting up and having a rather entertaining dinner with April, Holly went back to her suite to get ready for the show. She showered quickly, noticing as she did that there were a few places on her body that were already developing some rather colorful bruises from her time with Sav earlier. Her hips, breasts, and ass were blooming with love bites and marks where he'd either kissed or bitten her or held her tightly. She wasn't angry, but she doubted he was aware of his own strength. She ran her fingers over the bruises and thought back to their time together with a smile.

Holly had tried so hard to be professional with Sav when he was on her table. The energy between them was just too strong. When he didn't release her handshake right away, and when he reached out and held her hands while on the table, and again when he helped her with her lower back problem, things between them sparked like dry grass and lightning. She didn't regret what had happened, but it had caught her off-guard a little. Part of her still couldn't believe that they'd been together.

 _Score one for spontaneity_ , she thought with a smile.

She hadn't expected to hear from Sav after he left her suite as he had to eat and get ready for the show. She did hear from him though. His texts were at times sexy, sweet, and suggestive. She responded in kind, blushing and smiling at his words and the sentiments behind them. He came across as **_really_** being interested in her.

Holly wasn't under any illusion that whatever this was happening between them was serious or going to last despite whatever his personal circumstances were. From what she knew through media reports, Sav was married, had a family, and a life back home in England. She wasn't a part of that. Until he'd booked the massage appointment with her, he hadn't even known she existed. No, her time with him was what she was coming to think of as "a happy accident", of sorts. Happy accident or not, Holly was definitely smitten with and hungry for him.

She finished drying and styling her hair, opting for down, loose, and free. Her make-up was subtle and not over-the-top. She didn't like wearing so much make-up that it resembled a Halloween mask. She wanted to look natural, but a step up. She applied her favorite perfume to all those "kiss me here" places on her body. Going through her closet, she decided on her favorite pair of faded jeans, a black peasant blouse with short puffy sleeves, and her favorite brown throwback moccasins. The shoes didn't do much to improve her height, but they were very comfortable. She figured if she was going to be running around and dancing, she'd better wear comfortable footwear. High heels just wouldn't cut it. Rummaging through her jewelry, she kept things simple: silver hoop earrings, a couple of silver bracelets, and a couple of rings. She grabbed a crossbody bag, loaded in her phone and necessities, gave her hair a quick fluff, and she was good to go.

As her mind ran through random thoughts while finishing getting ready, Holly's phone went off. Pulling it back out and tapping the screen, she saw a text from someone named Jimmy, introducing himself to her as Def Leppard's tour manager. Sav had told him about her coming to the show and he wanted to let her know how to get backstage where he'd meet up with her to give her an all-access pass on a lanyard to wear.

Holly blinked. All-access? What did that entail? She was stunned. Sav hadn't been kidding when he casually mentioned getting her backstage. She froze for a minute, thinking about what it meant and the ramifications. Did Sav tell the rest of the band about what had happened between them? What would the rest of the band think of her being backstage? What about the wives? Other than Helen, she hadn't met the others yet. There would be cameras and pictures and videos taken of everybody for broadcast and future release and everything going on. Did she want the world to see who she was and who she was with?

She calmed her racing thoughts and texted Jimmy back, thanking him for reaching out to her and for the backstage privilege. She'd ask for him when she got there. On a whim, she snapped a quick selfie and sent it to him so he'd know what she looked like and what she'd be wearing in case he saw her first. He texted back that he'd keep an eye out for her. She responded that she was on her way.

Holly took one last quick look in the mirror and then hit the suite door at a run.

Fifteen minutes later and slightly winded, Holly made her way to the stage door Jimmy had texted her to go to. The backstage area was a madhouse. People coming and going, lots of noise, fans out front in the arena yelling and singing and getting hyped up for the show, music on speakers set at 'blast' volume, and a general, almost circus-like atmosphere. She found a relatively safe place to stand out of everyone's way off to the side after closing the door behind her. A security person saw her and asked her for her name. She gave it. He checked his list, found and checked off her name, and nodded. She asked him if he knew where Jimmy was. The security person walked her over to Jimmy, then left, patting her on the shoulder. She called out her thanks.

Jimmy was talking to Rick and a tech about something drum-related when Holly was brought over to them. Rick's face lit up when he saw her and he greeted her like he would an old friend. She grinned and returned the greeting, giving him a hug. Jimmy looked at her and smiled, introducing himself and extending his hand. They shook hands and Jimmy let Rick go so he could get ready. Rick quickly wandered off towards the dressing room area, dumping a pair of headphones he'd been using on a nearby table.

Jimmy walked Holly to a special backstage seating area where there was marginally less noise and chaos. The two talked briefly. Jimmy had a message to give her from Sav: "No more nosebleeds." He looked confused by it, but Holly smiled. She didn't think Sav would remember her saying that.

Jimmy produced a laminated pass on a lanyard for her. Her eyes widened in surprise. He carefully draped it around her neck, telling her not to let it out of her sight and to keep it visible. There were rogue groupies and fans who sometimes made it backstage past their security measures (the shorter groupies were a nightmare to try and catch because they were quick on their feet) and they usually went for the lanyards with the passes.

He also applied a special hospital-type wristband on her left wrist of a certain color. Apparently, this was a coding system to let people know at a glance which band member they were there with. Each of the guys had been assigned a certain color. Holly looked down and saw her wristband was purple. Just as she looked up at Jimmy to ask him about the color, his attention was called away to someone screeching about missing a cord of some kind. Someone else commented loudly about some alcohol being missing in the back room as well. He left with a wave to her. She looked down at the wristband again and figured Sav had asked Jimmy to make sure she had one.

Looking around her, Holly noticed that the chaos was only slightly diminished compared to where she'd walked in. She had no clue where to go or who to see. Given her druthers, she'd have rather had a chance to see Sav before he went on, but he was likely busy as all hell. She wandered over to an area where there was an unoccupied doorway. Leaning against it, she watched all the comings and goings. This was the kind of atmosphere her teenage self never got the chance to see when she went to their shows years prior. Had she known back then just what it took to put on a show like the ones Def Leppard did, she'd have had a greater appreciation for the efforts the band made for their fans.

As she thought this, an arm shot out from behind her on the left and grabbed her around the waist, pinning her arm to her side. Another arm came up from behind on her right, a hand moving quickly across her mouth, pulling her back through the doorway. She screamed beneath the hand and fought against whoever was attacking her. Whoever it was felt solid, like a wall, and very strong. Unknown to Holly, the doorway she'd chosen to stand in was to the men's bathroom.

Whoever it was pulled her back into a shadowy area just to one side of the basins where lights were. She struggled and was going to round on the guy when she felt warm lips at her 'sweet spot' behind her ear. She slowed her struggles, heat flaring in her body at the touch. She knew these lips at her ear. There was only one person who had found out about that particular spot recently. She stopped struggling altogether, feeling lips kissing and nibbling at her.

"That's it, beautiful. Relax into me. I'm not going to hurt you," Sav quietly said into her ear as his lips moved to her neck and down to her shoulder.

Holly sank into his arms, all of her fear disappearing now that she knew who was touching and kissing her.

Sav's arms loosened and she turned around to him. Her arms came up around him and she leaned in for a kiss. He willingly obliged.

Pulling back from him, she looked at him, thumped him hard on the shoulder, and said, "You damn near gave me a heart attack, Sav. You also came very close to getting hurt."

He looked at her and had the good grace to blush, "I know we haven't known each other for very long, but I hope you know that I'd never let anything bad happen to you. I didn't know if I'd get to see you before going on. When I came out here and saw you standing by yourself, I couldn't resist having a little fun." He clasped his hands behind her back.

Holly frowned up at him, grumbling, "I'll consider forgiving you for scaring me on one condition."

"What is it?" he asked.

"Kiss me, " she said simply.

Sav smiled and leaned towards her, "My pleasure."

His lips moved over hers, velvety soft and insistent. He kissed her as deeply as he could, both of them trembling at the intensity and heat of it.

Sav pulled back, saying, "God, you smell so good. All I want to do is bury my face in your neck. But...I've got to go. We're on shortly. Will I see you afterwards?"

Holly nodded, "I hope so."

Sav's face beamed, "I do too. I can't stop thinking about you."

Holly kissed him one last time, "I can't stop thinking about you either. Go. Be fantastic." She grinned at him.

He reluctantly released her from his embrace and walked around her to leave, surreptitiously copping a feel of her ass as he passed her. She squeaked in surprise, but grinned. He paused just outside the doorway, turned back to her, and said, "Listen for one of your favorite songs tonight. You played it for me at the massage session. I won't tell you which, but it's one we normally don't play live. I asked the guys if we could make a slight change in the setlist to include it." Sav looked at her as if to memorize what she looked like, then disappeared the way Rick had gone.

After watching him leave, Holly took a few minutes to get her wits about her. Her brief interlude with Sav had completely surprised her, especially the manner in which it happened. After Jimmy's warning about rogue groupies, she'd actually thought that one had managed to get their hands on her. She resolved to be more aware of her surroundings the rest of the evening.

Deciding to walk around and check things out, Holly took off in a random direction. Had she remained where she was for just a minute longer, she would've seen Joe come out of the men's bathroom behind her. He'd heard the exchange between Sav and Holly and it confirmed what he'd suspected earlier. Sav and Holly were involved with each other...and it seemed to be quite hot and heavy too. How it happened so damn quickly, he didn't know. Sav always did have a way with women though, especially when they were younger men. Some things never changed, he supposed. He picked up the pair of sunglasses Sav had forgotten on the sink when he had his interlude with Holly and pocketed them, then took off for the dressing rooms. That talk he wanted to have with Sav was now at the top of his list, though it'd still have to be done after the show.


	7. Revelations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The truth comes out...

The show went off with a few glitches here and there, but the guys were having fun. It was a packed house and the fans were having a great time, dancing and singing along to their favorites. The band favored a mix of old songs and newer ones and had tried to establish a palatable balance of both so everyone heard something they loved. It wasn't an easy thing to do considering the size of their song catalog, but they managed it.

Holly was backstage behind a large stack of cabinets and amps, having re-connected with Helen and been introduced to the rest of the wives. She was enjoying the show from a vantage point the average fan didn't get to see.

Helen had a digital camera around her neck and was using it to take pictures as the show progressed. A second, smaller camera was at her hip. When Helen headed towards the front of the stage, she asked Holly if she'd help take some shots of the band. Holly was happy to help out. After a very quick tutorial of the second camera (basically "aim this and press this"), the two were on the move down front, camera shutters going constantly.

Joe hyped up the crowd, alternately growling and prowling the stage, coaxing the fans to sing with him. He even told a few raunchy stories from the road which had the whole place laughing and whistling, boosting the 'good time' vibe. The mischievous, hardly innocent look on his face as he spoke made him look as though he could get into some serious trouble right then and there. Despite being married, he still scoped the women in the rows down front, looking for a few to harmlessly flirt with as he did his thing. Old habits died hard with him. He was never disappointed though.

At times, he'd even called out to his bandmates to come check out the beautiful faces and bodies just out of reach beyond the stage. The women being singled out were usually thrilled and a bit freaked out that Joe would even notice them. Though sometimes tempted, he'd never consider doing what he used to do when he was a younger man. He had everything he could ever want in his wife. He knew he had a good thing.

Helen and Holly had to fight for elbow room among other photogs down front, but it wasn't a shoving match. Everybody knew everybody and were somewhat respectful all around. Holly managed to get several clear shots of Joe in action. Whether he or Helen would like them or not was anyone's guess. They could work it out later. Helen got a few as well, though her trained eye knew what to look for and how to frame the shots she wanted.

Guitar solos, both electric and bass, happened. Viv and Phil had a bit of a good-natured competition between them on-stage, delighting the guitar fans in the audience. Wielding their guitars almost like weapons, the sounds emanating from each of them were impressive.

Phil had decided to use "Bela", his glow-in-the-dark vampire guitar for the solos. His technical prowess was tempered by various bits of his musical influences and spur-of-the-moment inspirations. Phil never rambled, only improvised with a cohesiveness that bordered on fantastical.

Viv still didn't quite manage the "Gods Of War" solo when they played the song (much to his on-going frustration), but everything else he played was note-perfect and he was happy with that. He was the type that identified so closely with his work as being an extension of who he personally was. Viv took pride in his playing and maintained very high standards for himself. Crafting a guitar solo was art to him and he took it seriously. The fans loved him and appreciated his efforts whenever he played. Cameras down front snapped, flashed, and whirred madly.

Sav ambled out on-stage under a cone of blue light after a few minutes and swung into his solo. It impressed with its chest-deep, thumping, bluesy-rumble vibe. The grin on his face showed his enthusiasm hadn't waned one bit after almost 40 years of playing music. At one point, he threw his head back, eyes closed, shaggy hair hanging and swaying behind him, and just let the music take him. Under the bright lights, he looked not so much like a musician, but like a shaman conjuring gods.

He prowled the stage much as Joe had, keeping his eyes peeled for photographers so they could get shots for merchandise and print media. He also enjoyed posing for fans with cell phones, making each show as memorable as possible for them.

When Sav saw Helen, he smiled and sauntered over to her so she could get some shots. He flipped his hair, grinned, and posed provocatively; his clothing shifting and moving as he did, a second skin.

When he saw Holly taking pictures with Helen, his eyes widened and his smile turned a bit wolfish. He came to stand as close to the edge of the stage as he could without falling off, dropped to a knee, and reached a hand out towards her...all while continuing to play.

Both Holly and Helen had their cameras going, with Helen taking mental note that it wasn't her that Sav had shifted his attention to. As Holly moved towards Sav, Helen noticed the purple wristband she wore. Looking down at her own wrist, she saw an identical purple band. That made Helen wonder considerably. _How did Holly manage to get a purple one? What am I missing?_ Helen thought.

Holly kept the camera aimed at Sav with one hand and reached up to him with the other, slowly sliding her palm against his, affectionately squeezing his fingertips as she moved back from him. She smiled up at him, the world around her completely forgotten in his presence. Her finger kept pressing the camera button, so pictures were being taken. She just didn't know how they'd turn out.

Sav stood up, looked down once more at Holly, smiled, and gave her a wink that Helen couldn't see from where she was standing. He then resumed his stage walk and the music continued. As he finished his extended solo, the lights went out completely.

Within seconds, an ear-splitting roar occurred and an impromptu drum solo broke out, thrilling the crowd. A flashing, rainbow-colored cone of light appeared around the drum kit from above. The "Thunder God" wanted to make sure his presence was seen, felt, and heard as loudly as possible, a fierce grin on his face the entire time. He'd joked in a previous interview about having to fight hard with the lighting techs to get that light cone of his (the rest of the band members all had cones and he didn't) and he was going to use it to his advantage. When his lone arm was seen raised high above his kit at the beginning, drumstick whirling above his head like a helicopter blade, the fans roared in adoration. They just knew something special was coming. Rick didn't disappoint. The pure wall of sound that erupted throughout the arena just about shook the rafters.

When Rick finished playing after several minutes, he rose from his stool, headphones askew, and raised his arm again in triumph. He could feel just how much the place literally shook when he played. He absolutely loved it. The rush he got from the solo was intoxicating. The roar of the crowd was even more so. Since surviving his accident when he'd lost his arm many years prior, Rick Allen had, whether he set out to or not, become a living example of determination, tenacity, and success that inspired so many from so many walks of life. The respect and admiration he was given knew no bounds.

After a couple more hard rocking songs, the band started to get into a formation for the acoustic part of the show.

During the planned acoustic part of the show, the guys brought water bottles, dry hand towels to mop their faces and fingers, and pulled chairs to the front of the stage in a semi-circle. They had in mind a small mini-set of acoustic songs to play. The songs were specifically chosen to showcase their tight vocal harmonies. The acoustic set also gave the guys a chance to take a bit of a breather from running around the stage and belting out songs at the tops of their lungs. There would be three this night, one of which was promised to Holly by Sav earlier. Though Rick, Viv, and Phil had no idea why the last minute song change was happening, or why the particular song was requested, no one had any objections. Joe kept his suspicions to himself. After witnessing the brief exchange between Sav and Holly during his solo segment, Joe's suspicions only grew. Changing things up now and then kept everyone on their toes.

Guitars and maracas came out as the guys sat, adjusting their mics. They all looked out into the audience as overhead lights were dimmed.

Then, as of one mind, "Let Me Be The One" started. As the guys sang and played, the audience joined them. The emotional connection between the band and the fans was rock solid after all the years the band had been touring. America had always had a special place in the band members' hearts and that hadn't changed. A few of them even lived in America with their families.

In the audience, couples danced and swayed as they sang. Lights started appearing throughout the place as people lit up their cell phone lights. The days of using actual lighters were long gone due to safety regulations and fire codes, though older fans from the band's early days occasionally managed to smuggle them in for certain songs. Burnt fingers or not, the fans' loyalty was solid.

As the song came to its end and applause rang out, the guys segued flawlessly into "We Belong". It was a rare song for them in that all the guys took turns singing lead vocals. The fans continued to sing with the band, enjoying the song and keeping their lights lit. To the guys on stage, the arena looked like the night sky with thousands of stars twinkling everywhere. It was a pretty cool effect.

When it came time to sing the final song of the set, Joe intro'd the song "Move With Me Slowly", not mentioning its personal significance to Sav or connection to Holly. All he said was that it was one that they normally didn't play live and for the fans to let them know what they thought of it. The song was sexy, bluesy, and rocked as hard as any of the classics they'd played. It caught some fans by surprise, but most loved it. The vocals of each band member blended so well, it was as if the song had been professionally board-mixed right in front of the fans as they watched. The song seemed destined to become a tour favorite.

Down front, Holly froze where she stood, camera forgotten. A huge grin appeared on her face as she recognized the song Sav had hinted at earlier. Looking up at him specifically, she swayed her hips to the music, dancing and singing along with the guys. Sav watched her dance from his place on stage and smiled as he sang, admiring her movements. He found himself hoping that he could get her to dance privately for him the next time they got together.

Out of the corner of his eye, Joe saw Holly dancing, and Sav's attention on her, and smiled. He kept singing.

Helen looked at Holly and grinned, seeing for the first time that night just how much of a fan Holly was of the band and their music. The girl could dance. Helen was liking her more and more.

When the song wound down, the audience cheered. The guys stood and acknowledged the fans, then started moving the chairs away to take their regular places while Joe engaged the audience in general banter. Sav glanced quickly at Holly, his normally ocean blue eyes a dark cobalt blue, his face flushed. Watching her dance while he sang had gotten to him. He definitely wanted her dancing privately for him after this.

The band sang their last few songs on the setlist, causing the crowds to get rowdy and louder than before. They took their bows and left the stage as the lights darkened. After a few minutes, the crowd started chanting and stomping their feet for an encore. The band came back out and played another couple of songs to deafening cheers and applause, after which they retired backstage.

Helen tugged on Holly's arm just then, signaling for her to come backstage. Holly felt for her pass at her neck and took off after her, making sure she still held the camera she'd been given. She'd been more than a little distracted and didn't want the camera to end up broken or, God forbid, missing. As they went, Holly hoped that the pictures she'd managed to take came out well.

Once backstage, coming down from the show and the rush of performing for a live audience, the guys were excitedly talking amongst themselves and their crew, critiquing their own performances. Cameras were recording various band members doing video interviews for YouTube, local media outlets, and a potential box set coming out in the future. It was chaotic, to say the least.

During a lull in all the activity, Joe tapped Sav on the shoulder, took him away from all the cameras, and handed him the pair of sunglasses he'd found. Sav took them from him, an uneasy feeling coming over him.

"Where'd you find these?" he asked, knowing the answer, but asking anyway.

Joe said quietly, "You left them in the men's bathroom earlier. I found them on my way out."

Sav looked at him, eyes widening, realizing that he and Holly hadn't been completely alone in the men's bathroom earlier. Not entirely sure of what to say or do, he wondered, _Do I play this off and say nothing or do I get into it with him and tell him and the guys everything?_ "Thanks. I would've been looking for these when we went to play golf tomorrow. You saved me the trouble," he said. He hung the sunglasses on his shirt collar.

Looking vaguely uncomfortable, Joe asked, "Is there...something you want to talk about? Something bothering you? I'm all ears."

Sav met Joe's gaze and said evenly, "Ehm, there is, but I don't want to get into it with all the media here. Let's get this shit taken care of so we can have some privacy, the five of us."

Joe nodded, "Right." He went off to record his "Captain's Log" segment and synopsis of the evening's events, being as cheerful and involved as possible. It wasn't much of a reach. Joe loved being in front of the camera. He was a natural.

Once he was finished, he made his way through the throng of people milling about, grabbing a drink on his way, and nudged the rest of the guys to meet up at the dressing area as soon as they could. There were a couple of concerned looks, but the guys agreed to meet back at the wardrobe trunks once their obligations were done.

* * *

Back at the trunks...

"You did what?!" asked Phil, trying to control the shock in his reaction. His eyebrows raised so far up on his face in shock, they almost hit his hairline.

Sav kept his expression neutral, but his insides were churning. He was suddenly extremely uncomfortable. He didn't want to be having this particular conversation with anyone, let alone his bandmates. As far as he was concerned, it was _his_ business and no one else's. His and Holly's. He sighed. He'd have to tell her about this and hope she didn't get too upset.

"I had sex with Holly," he said quietly, "She's...stunning."

Viv, Phil, and Rick were all in various stages of disbelief. They all knew Sav was married and had been for years. They'd attended his wedding to Paige. They all had nothing but well wishes for them both. None of them could understand why he'd done what he did and with someone he barely knew.

Joe, on the other hand, was eerily calm and said very little, his suspicions confirmed. It wasn't like him to not react to something like this. If he hadn't overheard the conversation between Holly and Sav in the men's bathroom before the show, he'd probably be reacting the same way the others were. The lack of reaction from Joe to Sav's news wasn't lost on Rick or Viv. They both looked over to each other and then to Joe, minds whirling with questions.

It was apparent to Sav that he'd have to come clean about the current status of his marriage to Paige in light of his declaration about Holly. He had, for the most part, kept the specifics to himself. The guys respected Sav's wishes to not talk about it. However, Sav's time blissfully spent with Holly had changed things. He had to tell all.

"I know you all have been wondering about what's going on with me and why Paige isn't here. I also appreciate your concern and caring about me more than you know," Sav started. He sucked in a deep breath to steady his nerves and continued, "There are things I was hoping I wouldn't have to talk about, but there's no way to avoid them now." He looked at Joe pointedly. Joe said nothing.

Looking contemplative, Phil asked, "Are you having some kind of mid-life crisis thing?"

"No," Sav replied, the expression on his face unreadable.

Rick looked at Sav and asked, "How'd that come about?"

Sav inhaled sharply, paused, and exhaled just as sharply. He said, "We just clicked right from the first minute we met." He snapped his fingers to accentuate his point.

Viv said, "There's more to this than just 'clicking'. What's going on?"

Looking at each of the guys, he said, "About a month ago, while we prepared to come to Vegas, I found out that Paige cheated on me and has been doing so for a while."

Eyes widened in shock and surprise as each man processed what they'd just heard. None of them could believe what they were hearing. The Paige they all knew loved Sav with everything in her and had from the beginning. To learn that she cheated on him with someone else was just mind-blowing. It made no sense.

Phil spoke up, "I don't believe it. She loves you. She's 'in love' with you and has been for years. She's had kids with you. Your kids. You've created a great life together. Why would she do that if she didn't want to spend the rest of your lives together?"

Sav said, "I caught her and her lover together at our home."

Gasps were heard around the room.

"She didn't do it with him in your bed, did she?" asked Joe quietly, anger creeping into his voice.

Sav paused, then said, "Not that I'm aware of. I found them in an upstairs guest room. I'd just gotten back from rehearsals. When I pulled up the drive, I saw a car there I didn't recognize. Since I'm not familiar with which of her friends drives what, I didn't think much of it. I thought one of her friends had stopped by to visit."

Phil took a breath as if he was going to say something, but stopped himself.

Sav continued, "I went into the house and heard noises. Someone was moaning. I'm thinking that someone must have gotten hurt, so I took the stairs two at a time, following the sounds. I get to the guest room upstairs and realized that the sounds I'd heard weren't sounds of pain at all. Quite the opposite actually." He looked down at the floor, an uncomfortable expression on his face.

Joe took a step towards him, wanting to offer support. His hand came up to rest on Sav's shoulder.

Sav gave Joe a sad smile and went on, "I opened the door and found Paige and her lover in the throes of it. I got pissed, stormed out, and slammed the door. I wasn't going to start hurling accusations and yelling until my temper passed or I'd have said and done things I might've regretted and been arrested for."

Rick frowned and grit out, "Did she go after you to try to explain?"

Looking at him, Sav paused, then shook his head. His eyes were glassy, his jaw set.

Without another word said, Rick walked over to Sav and hugged him. Joe's hand on his shoulder squeezed, offering comfort and letting him know he was there if he needed him for anything. Phil and Viv came forward as well and offered their support.

Sav breathed deeply, his control a shallow, fragile thing just then. He went on, his heart shredded, "I didn't approach Paige about what I'd seen until later. She told me that she doesn't love me anymore. After almost 20 years and two sons together, not to mention me legally adopting and raising her daughter as my own, she doesn't love me anymore and wants a divorce. Can you believe it?" He looked at them, each man like a brother to him, and his shoulders sagged. The memories threatened to overwhelm him at that moment.

Then, out of the blue, an idea came to him. Looking at everyone, he asked, "Have any of your wives said anything about this? Do you know if Paige has spoken to or confided in any of them? Phil, she's close with Helen. Joe, what about Kristine? Has either mentioned anything? Rick? Viv? What about Lauren and Cait?"

The guys paused, trying to remember if their wives had made any comments, off-hand or otherwise. After a minute, they all shook their heads, "No. Nothing."

Sav nodded as if he'd expected that.

Phil had a concerned expression on his face, "I'll ask Helen. The two of them talk or text daily. I think she'd tell me if anything was mentioned." Sav nodded.

Joe said, "I'll check with Kris. The two get together often. Surely something was discussed. Secrets like this don't keep for long."

Rick and Viv looked at each other, Rick gesturing towards Sav. Viv nodded and asked, "Who's the guy? Do you know him?"

Sav again looked at the floor, his face flushed bright. He huffed and didn't say a word, but he did nod. He knew who the guy was.

All eyes widened again in shock; a couple of the guys gasping outright. That Paige would cheat on Sav, who practically worshipped the ground she walked on, with someone he knew was heinous.

Phil shook his head, "Are you serious?! You know who it is?"

Sav nodded and said nothing.

Joe spoke up, "You could've come to us with this at any time, y'know. We're family." He sounded sad.

"I know, Joe. I needed to get my head around everything first. Come to terms with it. Had you not heard what you did earlier, I'd probably still be dealing with this myself. I have some serious thinking to do and while we're here in Vegas, I hope to come to some decisions," Sav said, sniffing.

Joe squeezed his shoulder again and came forward, "Whatever you need, we're here for you." The rest of the guys nodded.

Rick asked, "I don't mean to pry, but how is being with Holly helping you make these decisions? As much as we all like her, she's a huge distraction for you. Does she even know about any of this?"

Sav smiled and said, "Holly is a great person. She's kind and caring. She makes me laugh and mentally eases some of the stress I've been under since this all happened. I haven't mentioned this to her. We only just met earlier today. The fact that we've done what we've done does complicate things, but I'm hoping to meet up with her after we get cleaned up so I can talk with her about it. She needs to know if this...thing...between us continues. I don't want her to end up getting hurt because of me. If you happen to see her before I do, I'd appreciate it if no one said anything to her about this. I'll do it myself. It has to come from me." The guys agreed. It wasn't their story to tell.

Sav looked at the clock on the wall, "I hope to meet up with her shortly. I need to get cleaned up and find her. She's backstage somewhere. I saw her with Helen earlier, taking pictures. Once we meet up, I'll go from there."

The guys started to move around to get cleaned up and change their clothes. Joe suggested putting out an overhead page for Holly to meet up with Sav at a fixed location. It sounded good to him. He'd make it happen.

"About the golf tomorrow, if you don't want to go, let me know. Find me or text me. We can go some other time if you're not up for it," Joe said with a smug smile, "I can beat you at the sand traps another day."

Sav laughed, feeling a little better now that things were finally out in the open, and said, "A little sand isn't going to stop me. I'll shoot you a text tomorrow morning to let you know for sure. Right now, we're on."

A sweaty sock went sailing past Sav's head, Joe having hurled it from across the room at him with a grin. Sav winced, smelling it as it went past, "Damn Joe! Whew!" Laughter and commentary broke out between the guys.

The guys went about their business, talking amongst themselves as they got ready to leave.

* * *

Elsewhere backstage, Helen and Holly were fiddling with the cameras they'd used during the show. Helen checked the shots of both, shaking her head in amazement at times and laughing outright at other times. Holly watched as she went through the pictures in each.

"Can you use any of the shots I took? How many finger pictures did I take?" Holly asked, worry tingeing her voice.

Helen chuckled and looked at her, saying, "You're better at this than I thought. Despite the dancing and distractions of being down front, you got some really great shots. Some duds too, but I might be able to work with those. The guys are going to like these."

"Oh good," Holly said, "I was so afraid I'd screw up your pictures. I've never been good at taking photos. I take after my late grandmother in that I tend to chop people's heads off in otherwise good pictures." She grimaced, embarrassed.

Helen laughed, "That's funny. My sister does the same thing with family pictures. She means well, but we have to try to distract her from taking pictures at family get-togethers and on vacations. Don't want another album of headless people to add to the collection we've got."

Holly snorted in amusement, "I feel so much better knowing that I have people out there." She gave Helen a thumbs-up sign. They both laughed.

Just then, an overhead announcement happened, paging Holly to head to the east stage exit heading towards the hotel main lobby.

Looking up in surprise, Holly said, "I guess I've gotta go. What's that all about? Who would be paging _me_?"

Helen again looked at the purple wristband on Holly's arm, then down at the purple band on her own arm, and said, "I'm thinking a certain bassist is looking for you. I saw how he looked at you during the show. Once he saw you down front, he couldn't look away."

Holly blushed. Whatever was happening between her and Sav was apparently becoming obvious to those around him. She wasn't sure how she felt about that. She looked at Helen, "I don't know what to say. It's new. It's intense. It's complicated. It's scary as hell...and totally unplanned."

Helen reached out and tugged at Holly's wristband, "This means something very important. Whatever you do, take things slowly and carefully. Think about what you do before you do anything where he's concerned. You don't want to end up getting hurt." She patted Holly's hand kindly.

Holly smiled and impulsively hugged Helen, "Thank you for the advice. I really appreciate it."

Returning the hug, Helen said, "You'd better go. He's waiting for you."

Walking down a hallway, Holly followed the signs on the wall until she got to the meeting place in the page.


	8. Feelers:  Word Gets Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A fact-finding mission ensues, people are poking around and being nosy, emotions and suspicions are running high all around...and the show must go on...

After getting cleaned up, and again offering their support to Sav whenever he needed it, the guys went their separate ways, joining up with their wives and heading to their suites.

Phil and Helen went back to their suite and puttered around. Phil was tired and also still a bit hyped from the show, so he pulled out a guitar, sat on the bed, and picked at it. He watched as Helen deposited her camera equipment on the dresser, plugging things in to charge after removing memory cards, external attachments, and getting her gear bag back in some kind of order. She then started pulling towels out in preparation for a shower.

Phil stopped playing and reached out for her hand, "Hey, can we talk?"

Helen came to a stop in front of him, squeezed his hand, and smiled, "Always. What's up?"

Holding his guitar against his chest, Phil had a concerned look on his face. He'd promised Sav that he'd ask about what Paige may or may not have said to Helen about their marital problems, but he was more than a little uncomfortable doing so. He looked at her and asked, "The guys and I were talking after the show. The subject of Sav and his situation with Paige came up. He finally told us what's been going on. I was wondering if Paige has mentioned anything to you lately about her relationship with Sav? Has she mentioned having any problems?"

Helen's expression changed immediately, going from inquisitive to guarded. She flicked her eyes down to the towels in her arms, considering what to say. She then looked up and said, "We've spoken. We talk or text every day just about. I can tell you, without betraying specifics, that she's mentioned having problems at home." She moved towards the bed, dropped the towels onto it, and sat on the edge, facing her husband. She took off her glasses and rubbed the bridge of her nose with her free hand, feeling a headache coming on.

Phil asked, "Is there anything specific you _can_ tell me? Sav said he'd caught Paige cheating on him, in their house, with someone he knows, and that it's been going on for a while. He walked in on them in the middle of...it. He also said that Paige has asked him for a divorce."

Helen gasped in shock, "That doesn't sound like Paige at all. She never mentioned _any_ of that to me. She was actually kind of vague about it, just saying there were problems. Divorce was never even brought up. Not with me anyway. God, I can't imagine what Sav must've gone through or how he feels about it. He's been in love with her for years."

Phil looked sad just then, imagining the hurt and betrayal Sav must really be feeling, but trying to keep to himself. He looked wounded earlier, as if he still couldn't believe his wife would do that to him. "We'll keep an eye out for him if he needs anything. If my phone should go off at odd hours, just know it could be him and I'll be taking it," he said.

Helen nodded and looked thoughtful for a minute, then said, "If this is true, and I have no reason to think it's not, then what I saw earlier tonight makes sense."

Phil looked at her, "What do you mean? What happened?"

Helen looked at Phil and said, "I have something I think you should see." She then stood up and went over to the desk. She picked up one of her cameras and turned it on. She located and inserted a certain memory card and scrolled through the shots. Once she found the picture she was looking for, she turned back to Phil, an odd look on her face.

"What?" Phil asked.

"I'm going to show you a picture and I want you to tell me what you see. Look closely. I took it earlier during the show when Sav was soloing," she said.

"Okay," he said, not sure where she was going with this.

Helen placed the camera in his hand, making sure the viewscreen was front and center. She tapped a button and the picture lit up.

Phil looked carefully. He saw a full-color digital picture of Sav on stage, his bass slung low around him just like always. His hair was shaggy and caught in motion, making him look every inch the rockstar people considered him to be. He was down on one knee at the very edge of the stage, looking down, and reaching his hand towards a blonde woman Phil recognized as Holly. Holly was down front looking up at Sav, reaching out to him with one hand, a camera in her other hand. Their free hands were just barely starting to touch each other in the shot. With the lights overhead illuminating the moment, it was a terrific picture. Helen's instincts and timing for taking pictures were impeccable. They were what made her a much-in-demand photographer.

After taking a couple minutes, Phil asked, "What am I looking at? It's fantastic."

Helen said, "Look at their faces, then look at her wrist. Keep in mind that they only just met today, according to what you've told me."

Phil looked at Sav's face first, a face he was very familiar with. His expression was...different, he now saw. His eyes were normally a lighter shade of blue. In this picture, they were a dark sapphire-color. There was also an intensity to them; Sav's focus was literally locked on the woman in front of him. He looked hungry and it wasn't for food. Sav's emotions were, he saw now, very clearly on his face. Phil's eyes widened. How had he not noticed that before?

Phil then looked at Holly. She was in profile. Her face was tipped up to Sav, a beautiful smile radiating affection, desire, and need...all in one expression. There was no doubt Holly was an attractive woman, but her expression in the picture made her look...stunning. Sav had even described her as such. Her emotions were just as plain on her face as Sav's were on his. She was as locked on him as he was on her. Solid.

Phil whistled softly, the emotional impact of the picture surprising him. He remembered then that Helen had said to look at Holly's wrist. When he did, he saw the purple wristband. His eyes widened. Looking to his wife, he asked, "How did she end up with a purple wristband? That's not Sav's color. His is blue."

Helen looked at him pointedly, "Sav would've had to specify to Jimmy or security services which color he wanted her to have when he had her added to the backstage list of people allowed access to the band. You know this. It's how you guys set it up, remember?"

He nodded. The guys had set it up so that each wristband had corresponded with their light cones (as Rick called them) on stage. Joe's was yellow, Viv's was red, Sav's was blue, Phil's was green, and Rick's was a rainbow color (because he just had to be different). There was one color, however, they'd all agreed should be used only for certain people and that was purple. The only people getting the purple wristbands?

Family.

Helen then said, "I had Holly helping me take pictures during the show. She's actually quite good for a casual, 'from-the-hip' shooter. We spoke at length after the show, talking about pictures, joking around, and just about random stuff. Neither of them had seen me take the shot I just showed you. They seemed to be in their own little world just at that moment. I haven't shown it to either of them yet. I mentioned that I'd seen how Sav's attention honed in on her and didn't waver. She didn't know what to say. Considering how long they've actually known each other, I don't blame her for feeling reluctant to discuss it. She did admit however that she's scared of this sudden attraction between them. She called it 'intense'. I cautioned her to be careful where he's concerned, not mentioning the fact that he's married. Living in the public eye as you guys do, I think it's common knowledge, among the fans at least, that the band members are all married with families. She'd know this. I also told her that her purple wristband was important, but I didn't tell her in just what way. Knowing now what I do about what Sav said to you about Paige and their problems, I'm forming my own conclusions here. If that wristband on Holly's wrist is any indication at all, I'm thinking that Sav has made at least one major decision regarding his situation back home."

* * *

In a suite elsewhere on the same floor, Joe and Kristine were chatting, discussing the night's show. Joe knew that he'd get complete honesty from his wife about how things went from her perspective. That was one of the things he admired most about her. She shot straight and didn't apologize for doing so.

Rummaging in a travel bag, Joe watched as Kristine pulled out her sleepshirt and toiletry bag, thinking to get a long, hot shower out of the way. He walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, burying his face in her hair. She relaxed into him, leaning back, and smiling at his solid warmth. The man was a cuddly bear sometimes. It totally didn't fit the image of the razor-sharp, hard-edged rock'n'roller he portrayed to the media. She found that hilarious...and sexy as hell.

As the two of them stood there just soaking in each other's energy, Joe's large hands started slowly moving over her, tracing her curves. The sleepshirt in her hand dropped to the floor, the toiletry bag hitting the dresser.

"Kris?" he asked, nuzzling her neck.

Kristine turned her head up to him, a lazy smile on her face, "Mmhmmm..."

Joe turned her in his arms and looked at her, "I need to ask you something."

Grinning at him, she said, "Yes to having another kid."

Joe stood deer-in-the-headlights still, eyes wide, "What? No, I wasn't...wait...really? You want another kid?"

His expression made her laugh. He looked like he'd been blindsided. Joe got flustered so easily sometimes, especially when it came to kids. 'Cuddly Bear' turned into 'Mushy Bear' in no time, bless him. He had a huge heart for family.

Laughing, she wrapped her arms around Joe's middle and hugged him fiercely.

Still in shock, Joe returned her hug and asked, "Are you serious?"

Grinning, Kris said, "Yes."

"You're pregnant? Or are you saying you want to be?" he asked, confused.

Looking up at him, she said, "I'm not right now, but I could be if you wanted to have another kid. I'm sure our two would love another sibling, if only to blame things on when they get up to stuff they shouldn't."

Joe breathed a sigh of relief, then instantly regretted doing so. Another baby would be fantastic, but that wasn't the question he'd had in mind to ask. He needed to find out about other things first.

But now that the idea of another kid was in his head, and everything that entailed, including the fun parts leading up to conception, he was very distracted. He tipped his head forward and kissed her, thinking his question could wait. At least for a little while...

* * *

When the backstage page went out for Holly, she met up with Sav at the exit. He smiled at her as she approached him. They embraced and he said, "Let's head to my suite. I need to talk to you about something."

"Okay. Sounds good," she said.

With him slinging an arm over her shoulders, and her sliding an arm around his waist, they left for the hotel elevators. On the way up, Sav pulled out his phone and called room service to order some food and drinks to be delivered for them.

The late night meal with Sav in his suite was the best time for them both. They laughed a lot, talking about current world affairs and music. The show was discussed too, as well as her experience taking photos with Helen. Sav was a generous host, being genuinely interested in what Holly's views were and wanting to get to know her better. For the first time in a long time, he felt that he could let his guard down and just be himself. He relaxed.

For her part, Holly was impressed by him and grudgingly admitted to herself that she felt like she was halfway to being in love with him. She kept that part to herself though. In truth, it scared her to death. She knew Sav was married and had kids. Admitting to him what she was feeling after less than a day knowing him would make an already complicated situation even more so, she knew. She asked him about his kids, but not his wife. She didn't ask about why his wife wasn't with him for the residency and, in fact, grimaced when Paige had tried to call him during their time together in his suite. She'd seen Paige's name and picture flash across his phone screen while they were eating.

Sav ignored the call, pressed a button on his phone to stop the ringing, and then flipped it screen side down on the table. He didn't want anything to spoil the closeness they'd established with each other.

After Paige's attempt to reach Sav, he'd noticed that Holly had gone quiet on him. She seemed uncomfortable all of a sudden. He reached out to her, holding her hand in his and brought it to his lips for a kiss. That got a smile out of her, though it was a sad one. He continued holding her hand and thought about how to lighten the mood, which had turned somber.

Holly didn't pull her hand away from him and even twined her fingers with his. A sign of trust.

He looked at her, seeing a stray curl slide across her face when she moved her head. He reached for it when she did and wound up touching it and her other hand. Instead of moving his hand away, Holly pressed it to her cheek and kept it there. She enjoyed his touch. She could feel his warmth seeping into her, fighting off the cold, empty feeling that had come over her when she'd seen Paige's call come in.

They looked into each other's faces, locking eyes and saying nothing, yet saying a lot. Sav slid his thumb over her cheek, trying to comfort and reassure Holly that _she_ was his focus, not Paige. It hurt to see Holly's naturally upbeat, vibrant personality get tamped down so quickly by a phone call.

Sav again brought her hand up to his lips, smiling at the purple wristband she still wore, and kissed her. He kept his eyes on hers and kissed each knuckle and fingertip. It was when he affectionately kissed her palm that he told her, "I need you to know what happened before you and I 'happened'. Paige and I were to have been here together for the residency. She didn't come because we're having problems back home. I wasn't aware of just how major the problems were until I caught her cheating on me with someone I know personally. That was a month ago. Just before I came here with the band, she asked me for a divorce and contacted her attorney."

Holly gasped. How any woman could cheat on or hurt the caring, affectionate, loving man in front of her was a mystery to her. His explanation helped her to understand their current attraction a little better, but she felt there was more he wasn't telling her that she didn't know. She asked him, "This can't be easy for you to deal with, especially if you've been with her a long time. How are you really?"

Holding Holly's hand tightly in his, he looked at her and said, partially deflecting her question, "Right now? Hungry."

She watched as Sav's eyes darkened as they focused on her. He kept eye contact with her as he started to lick and suck on her fingers.

Holly sucked in a breath, feeling a rush of heat flare to life inside her.

He nibbled on her thumb and the skin around it, lavishing it with every bit of attention he could, an evil little smile on his face.

"I...that's not what I..., " she started to say.

Sav leaned toward her and kissed her: slowly, deeply, repeatedly.

Holly trembled against him, drawn into the spell he was casting. The seduction had begun, though for Holly, it had started years earlier when she'd first discovered Def Leppard's music and saw pictures of the band. She'd seen pictures of Sav when he was younger. She saw his blue eyes and sometimes fierce expression as he played bass and sang. She was hooked. Holly had thought he was, in her crazy teenage years, "perfect".

As time went on, and the music kept coming, she'd managed to see a few shows here and there when the band toured America. She usually had a great time at their shows. She'd memorized the songs she loved and sang along when the band was on-stage, dancing and getting all worked up. Holly usually left after a show exhausted, hoarse, and giddy. She'd seen "her Sav" and was happy.

Now, many years later, here he was, "her Sav", kissing her passionately and seemingly very interested in her.

She returned his kisses, focusing on the feel of him, his taste, and how good he smelled. She was giddy again, feeling her blood race and the heat build between them.

Sav's hands came up to tangle themselves in her hair as he continued kissing her, taking his time and enjoying her. He relished everything he was discovering about her. She was intelligent and down to earth, had a sarcastic sense of humor he found sharp and hilarious, opinionated, caring with a huge heart, and beautiful. Everything he'd ever wanted and looked for when he was a younger man was now in front of him.

He ended the kiss, stood, and pulled her up from her seat. As she stood, he wrapped his arms tightly around her, burying his face in the curls at her neck as he'd wanted to do earlier. He trembled, feeling his need for her getting stronger.

Holly's arms went around his neck, her lips seeking his warm skin. She kissed him below his ear and nibbled his lobe, causing him to gasp against her. "Do that again," he whispered. She was only too happy to oblige. He felt her kiss him again: once, twice, three times. He tipped his head to the side, starting to breathe hard. She took full advantage. Hot, wet kisses rained down on his neck, jaw, and mouth. His pulse sped up, his body responding quickly. He was already getting hard having her against him and they'd barely started.

Sav moved, walking towards a large, black leather sofa in the suite, bringing her with him. Holly was so focused on kissing him, she wasn't aware that he was moving them both away from the table.

Once at the sofa, Sav again kissed her slowly. Holly moaned hoarsely, wanting more of him. He gently moved back from her, motioning to the sofa.

She sat, looking up at him with huge eyes, waiting for him to join her.

He bent and took her shoes off and slid his arm under her legs, having her lay across the buttery soft leather. She smiled up at him. She looked sexy as hell stretched out on black leather, waiting for him.

He kicked his own shoes off and reached for the button on his jeans. Holly reached up and caught his hand, moved it, and replaced it with hers. She tugged on his front pocket, bringing him closer to her. Before undoing his pants, she leaned toward him, sliding her hands along the backs of his thighs to hold him in place, and pressed her face to his fly, feeling how hard he was getting. He looked down at her rubbing against his crotch and groaned at the sight. He watched as she unfastened and unzipped him, allowing his clothing to be pulled down and dropped to the floor, freeing him. His hand moved into her hair, tangling in the soft curls and gently brushing over her scalp.

Holly reached for him. Her hand slid around him, rubbing along his hardening length. Sav growled, but didn't make a move. When she slid a single finger slowly across the tip of him, his hips bucked and he shivered. She repeated the movement and he bucked again, panting, legs shaking. Her head dipped down and kissed his cock and licked over and under the head of it in slow, wet swirls. He hissed, feeling pleasure sizzle up his spine. She was starting to get into a really good rhythm on him when he carefully moved to join her on the sofa.

He knelt between her legs and unbuttoned his shirt, looking down at her the whole time. "Let me take care of you, Holly," he rasped out.

Holly's eyes widened and her face blushed bright red. No one had ever offered to do that for her before. She looked at him and bit her lip, nodding.

Sav leaned down over her and kissed her roughly, forcing her to lay on her back. His hands roamed over her, pulling her shirt up and off, and then tugging on her bra straps. His fingers unhooked her bra and pulled it up and away, dropping it on the floor. He buried his face in her neck again, rumbling out, "I want you again. Once wasn't enough. It'll never be enough." He kissed and bit his way down her neck, causing her to moan and move under him. His hands came up to pull at her jeans, managing to get them and her panties off. He looked down and noticed the bruises on her hips and breasts. He paused, surprised, running his hand over her skin, and asked, "You're all bruised. What happened?"

As if she couldn't believe he asked her what he did, she looked up at him and said, "You happened." She couldn't stop a grin from appearing on her face.

Startled, he asked her, " _I_ did that? Really?? Wow...I'm sorry."

"I'm not, but thank you. You were fantastic, though you really don't know just how strong you are," she told him. She then tipped her body to the side as much as she could with him between her legs so he could see some of the bruises he'd left on her ass earlier. He inhaled sharply at the sight of marks on her. He was shocked at seeing them, but also turned on by them too. It was an odd sensation for him. It was as though he'd marked her as his.

He kept moving his hands across her skin, feeling how soft she was. He positioned himself above her, mentally telling himself to be more careful, but didn't enter her. Instead, he kissed and nibbled his way down to her breasts, teasing her until she cried out at the intensity of it. He moved down her body, dipping the tip of his tongue into her navel, causing her to giggle like a little kid.

 _She's ticklish_ , he thought. He grinned and dipped into her navel again, causing her to laugh and squirm under him.

"That's not funny, Sav," she said, smiling.

He kept doing it, saying, "I think it's hilarious I've discovered another weak spot on you."

Holly started laughing as he deliberately teased her. He grabbed her hands so she couldn't push him away.

"Not fair," she laughed, panting and tugging on her hands and finding he was holding her tightly.

His lips continued south, licking and kissing her between her legs. He especially liked her soft inner thigh. He didn't let go of her hands. Her panting and squirming under him was really turning him on.

As he got to her clit, he looked at her and with an evil smile, he quipped, "Time to storm the walls..." His mouth came down on her clit, licking and sucking on her, gently at first, and then like a possessed man.

Holly gasped loudly and instinctively tried to close her legs, but Sav was firmly seated between them and wasn't going anywhere. She panted and groaned, tossing her head from side to side as she felt him devour her. Her hips tipped up, pressing against his mouth, and he made a growling noise in response. She felt his growl and shook under him, unable to touch him, and feeling a huge pressure building deep inside her.

Sav wasn't letting up on her, completely serious about 'storming her walls'. When his mouth moved to the entrance to her body and lapped at her slowly, she cried out. He loved the sound of that and kept it up, enjoying her taste on his tongue. She was dripping.

"Fuck...so close, Sav..." she gasped, still fighting to free her hands.

He hummed against her clit and gave a little nibble to it, causing her to cum hard and fast, head tipped back, face flushed, gushing all over him. She let loose with a sound the likes of which he'd have difficulty describing if someone asked him to. Her back arched, almost pushing him completely off her. He grinned as he watched her. It was a beautiful sight, one he'd think about when he wasn't with her.

Just before Holly recovered, Sav nudged himself against her, still painfully hard. She was so wet from the orgasm he gave her that when he surged forward into her, he bottomed out immediately. He cried out, breathing so hard he thought he'd pass out. The pleasure felt unreal to him. Her muscles clenched around him tightly, causing a delicious wet squeeze that made him twitch. He could hear her breathing just as hard as he was, adjusting to him being inside her. Sav started moving his hips at a fast pace. What little coherent thought he was capable of at that point had him release her hands so he could hold her hips steady against his. His body was demanding satisfaction and all he could do was obey. Within several minutes, his vision whited out as he exploded inside her, leaving no internal inch of her untouched by him. Holly cried out again as her second orgasm slammed her. Sav yelled, trembled furiously, and collapsed on top of her as he got to where he so badly needed to go.


	9. Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Decisions are made, well-meaning friends are poking around, and there are commitments to fulfill...life happens...

Sav stretched out in bed, groggy, waking up unwillingly. He opened his eyes slowly, one eye at a time. Breathing deeply, he tried to mentally get himself going. Smiling, memories of the previous evening flooded back to him. It was the most physically and mentally relaxed he'd been in ages.

He attributed the success of the evening in large part to Holly. For someone he'd known for less than a day's time, she'd had a surprising impact on him. She'd impressed him, made him think, made him laugh, and, most importantly, made him feel normal. In the wake of his personal problems back home, it felt good to have 'normal' again. Having her stay the night with him had felt...right. It'd been late when they'd finished their meal and "dessert". It would've been rude in Sav's mind if they'd done what they did and then he had her leave right after. He wasn't that type of guy. If he was honest with himself, he hadn't wanted her to leave anyway.

He remembered what they'd done and smiled again. _That was amazing_ , he thought to himself, stretching again. He couldn't remember the last time he'd felt so mentally and emotionally connected to a woman, other than to his wife Paige. The fact that it had happened so quickly wasn't lost on him. It made him question himself. He didn't want to admit to himself that the possibility of rebounding from Paige and her betrayal was why he and Holly hooked up the way they did. He had to be realistic though and needed to figure out what to do and, more importantly, why he was doing it. He didn't want Holly ending up as an unwitting casualty in the debris of his marriage to Paige. She didn't deserve that.

He rolled over, thinking to steal a few minutes with her before his golf game with Joe. Sav's arm moved, finding only empty space next to him. Holly was gone, her side of his bed showing indentations in the sheets where she'd been. He frowned, "Damn." He reached for her pillow, brought it to his face, and inhaled, catching a faint whiff of her perfume. He wrapped his arms around it, letting his mind wander.

He rolled back over to reach for his cellphone, hoping there was a message from her waiting for him.

The blinking light indicated there were several texts:

One was from Joe. He was canceling their golf game. He had no desire to smack small balls around with long, bent sticks into sand dunes with him after spending the night with a 'goddess' who happened to swing by his suite. That made Sav snort. That was 'Joe-Speak' for "Kristine and I were 'busy.'" He knew the feeling Joe was getting at though all too well. If you were 'busy' with the right person that you felt such a sense of peace that made you think all was right with the world as it was, you didn't want to ruin it by getting up or even moving. Joe also wanted to talk with him about the Paige situation with the wives and what he was able to, and not able to, find out.

Two were from Phil wanting to talk with him about his disclosure after the show and what he was able to find out from Helen, as well as what he'd be wearing for the photoshoot later that day.

One was from Jimmy, asking him about the curly blonde woman with the pretty blue eyes he'd met and given the pass to. He wanted more details about her, it seemed, so she could be put on the permanent backstage list if he wanted. (Sav thought that was a brilliant idea. He wanted that.)

Viv had also texted him about what he'd be wearing for the photoshoot, specifically what color or colors.

Rick asked how he was doing after last night and sent smiles from him and Lauren.

His daughter sent along the latest shots and a brief video taken of his grandson. The little guy was growing so fast.

One was from Paige, asking him why he didn't take her call last night and to call her or he'd be hearing from her lawyer.

One was from his older son, asking about a specific guitar technique. He was practicing with his band back in Sheffield and wanted to try something new on a song they were working on.

There was no text from Holly.

Sav laid in bed and stared at the ceiling for a few minutes. He then sat up and looked around him, scrubbing at his hair and face as he did so, thinking that maybe she'd left him a note, letting him know where she was. He patted down the bed and tossed bed linens around, looking for a scrap of paper. There was nothing.

Then it hit him: photoshoot. _Photoshoot. Shit. What time is it?_ he asked himself. His phone said it was 8:30 AM. The photoshoot wasn't until 2:00 PM. Sav breathed a sigh of relief, thinking he'd missed a commitment. Surely one of the guys would've come to oust his lazy ass out of bed. He then realized that he had plenty of time to himself since golf with Joe was canceled.

He took a few minutes to respond to the texts he'd received from everyone as a group message to save time and key strokes. He excluded his immediate family members from the thread as he didn't want them knowing about Holly if she happened to be mentioned.

He tapped out: **_Do any of you people ever sleep?_** 😩 <send> He could almost hear Joe and Viv laughing as they read his text. 

He waited. Within minutes, his phone went off with responses coming in from everyone:

Joe: _**G'morning sleeping beauty**_ **😪**

Phil: _**Well if it isn't the last string bender...hey mate...Helen says 'hey' too.**_

Viv: _**Cait and I are coffeeing here...keep it down, will ya?**_ **☕**

Rick: _**You people? Us people are dealing with the day. Get up already. :-)**_

Jimmy: _**Are you still sleeping?? Will you be at the photoshoot later?**_

Joe: _**Coffeeing? ('Morning**_ **Cait.👋)**

Rick: _**Caffeination first thing in the morning seems like a good idea. Send over a pot, hey?**_

Viv: _**Room service here is great. Highly recommend. Don't ask for hibachi though. Not available first thing. What is everyone wearing for pictures?**_

Phil: _**You asked for a hibachi for breakfast? What are you eating for breakfast that requires that??**_ _ **Helen's laughing here at that.**_

Rick: _**Hibachi breakfast? Really Vivian? Uh-oh. Lauren likes the sound of that.**_

Joe: _**Anyone know who's**_ _ **doing the shooting later? Black is always a good idea, Vivian.**_

Phil: _**I'd heard Kath Riggs was contacted to shoot us. We haven't met her before, I don't think. Helen says she's a legend among photogs.**_

Rick: _**THE Kath Riggs? I've seen her work over the years. Been around forever. She's fantastic. You remember she was at the Nine Lives shoot, right? Got right up in Joe's face more than once, I think. Tim didn't like her. Said she was pushy or something.**_

Viv: _**Who? I thought Ryan was coming to shoot us. Did anyone call him?**_ **☎**

Joe: _**Are we signing stuff later too?**_

Jimmy: _**I'll send the itinerary to your phone, Joe. It's going out now to all of your phones. Please read it. I have pens.**_

Sav watched the screen and snorted again. His bandmates solved the world's problems as they hashed out the day amongst themselves, seemingly forgetting he was there. Normal reared its head again as he followed the thread. It made him smile.

He thought again of Holly and wondered where she was. He pulled up a separate message from the on-going thread addressed to her and paused. She might be with a client or she might just want time alone. Sav thought for a minute about what he wanted to say, then tapped out:

 _ **Good morning, beautiful. Missing you this morning. Bed feels so empty without you here. Last night was amazing. You are amazing. Hope your day goes well. Are you free for dinner later?**_ <send>

Sav got out of bed and made his way to the bathroom. A shower and breakfast sounded good to him. He could take his time with everything. He placed his cellphone on the sink and got the shower going, making a mental note to call room service, his attorney back home in Sheffield, and Paige's attorney. He also needed to text his kids and Jimmy. His day had officially started.

* * *

Holly was feeling a bit off and she didn't like that. She knew what was causing it, but she didn't know what to do about it or how to handle what she felt.

At some point during their overnight together, Sav had slid an arm and a leg over her as he slept, buried his face in her hair near her ear, and called her "Paige" in his sleep. She winced, but said nothing. While Holly loved the warm, comfortable feel of him wrapped around her, she wasn't so sleepy that she'd missed what he'd said.

Paige. The woman who cast an enormous shadow over the man in her arms. His wife. The mother of his children. He'd called out, thinking she was Paige. That stung.

With her free hand, she reached for her phone bedside and re-set the screaming ringtone she normally used to wake up to something quieter and less obnoxious. In her opinion, any wake-up alarm was evil, but necessary. She also set it for an hour earlier than normal so she could leave and start her day. She regretted leaving Sav, but she had a couple of client appointments and a video call with Kim to deal with that morning, then a couple of client appointments in the afternoon and a shopping trip with Betsy after closing for the day. She wanted to shower and eat and just BE for a little bit.

She placed the phone back on the bedside table and tried to sleep. It wasn't easy. She listened to Sav's breathing in her ear, felt his warmth seeping into her, and felt simultaneously anxious and peaceful.

As Holly lay there, Helen's words came back to her. Be careful with him, she'd said. Holly was afraid it was too late. What was the phrase her Grammy Genia always used to say? "In for a penny, in for a pound"? Holly was all in for the pound at this point. The last several hours had been a whirlwind. She'd not only met someone famous (several someones actually), but had been intimate with him and gotten pulled into his life and world without even a blink. The ease with which that happened made her uneasy.

As she lay in bed with Sav, she wondered about the immediate future. The band was going to be at the hotel for a little while and she was sure she'd be running into them at various points. Considering they'd all been to see her at one time or another, it was almost guaranteed some of them would be back for relief from various aches and pains. Putting on a show like theirs was a major undertaking. She figured if done often enough, the effort would take a toll of some kind on their bodies.

Running through her day's schedule in her mind, she wasn't sure who she was working on today. For all she knew, one or several of Sav's bandmates would be by for some body work. Maybe even a couple of the wives. Who knew?

She closed her eyes and turned her head towards Sav as much as she could. Given that he was snugly tucked against her neck and body, it wasn't easy. She felt him kiss her neck and then settle back into sleep. She trembled slightly at the butterfly kiss. She didn't wake until her phone alarm went off hours later.

Once the alarm went off and she silenced it, Holly woke up with a stretch. Sav had turned over to face away from her sometime during the night, she saw, making getting up a little easier.

Pulling back the covers on her side, she leaned over and gently kissed him on the shoulder, paused, and then left his bed. He didn't stir. Her heart, however, clenched with emotion as she looked at him.

Not wanting to analyze it, she silently padded to his bathroom, did what she had to do, got dressed, and snuck out of the suite, carefully closing the door behind her. It wasn't the dreaded "Walk of Shame" people sometimes talk about after a particularly raucous night, but she felt almost like a criminal for leaving him. She just had things she needed to do. She had a business to attend to. A life of her own. She got to the elevator, punched the button, yawned, and disappeared downstairs once the doors opened in front of her.

After showering and throwing together and eating breakfast, Holly got her work area ready for her first client of the day. As she moved, the feeling of being off stayed with her. Despite her first appointment being a short one, a simple chair massage, her mind wandered back to Sav and what he'd told her the previous night.

She needed to talk to someone about everything. The person she had in mind wasn't her business partner, or even April. No, she felt a need to talk to Phil. They'd gotten along famously when he'd been to see her last and she already thought the world of him and Helen. Perhaps he'd be able to help her get some perspective on this situation. He'd known Sav, and by extension Paige, for a long time. Maybe he could help hash all this out with her. She possibly could've talked to Joe or any of the guys, but Phil seemed the most open and approachable. She also didn't want word getting back to Sav that she'd spoken to his friends about him.

Just then her phone beeped. A text had come in. It was from Sav. Checking the time, she opened his message. Emotion swelled in her as she read his words. If she didn't know better, she'd have thought Sav was in love with her. She smiled and pulled up a response screen:

 _ **There you are...How are you? I'm missing you too. You drive me crazy, y'know. In the best way. I love how you make me feel. It was difficult leaving you earlier, but I have appointments scheduled, a video call with my business partner, and then shopping with a friend. Didn't have the heart to wake you. Guess I'll have to make it up to you. (Free rubdown?) Dinner sounds good. What time? What's your schedule like today?**_ 💜 <send>

Holly slid her phone into her pants pocket and got ready for her client's arrival.

* * *

As Sav was munching on a piece of toast and talking to his attorney back home about divorce issues, he heard a message come in on his phone. He immediately switched to speakerphone and opened his texts. Holly had responded. He felt a pang of excitement in his gut. He waited to read her message though. He needed to focus on the legal stuff.

"She doesn't get a cent from me, Robert. Not one. Remind her of the pre-nup she signed when we got married. Remind her of the 'cheating clause' she agreed to. See what her lawyer says. Ironclad, yes?" Sav asked, his Sheffield accent more noticeable as he got more agitated.

He heard the rustling of paperwork at the other end. Then his lawyer spoke, "I see the clause. It is ironclad. You're right. I'll call Paul and have him remind Paige about that. Expect flak though. She'll squawk."

"Could care less really, Robert. Let her screech like a banshee if she likes. Let her fuck buddy handle her. I also want her completely out of the house and off the property in 30 days time. She's not to be anywhere on the property by the time I get back from Vegas. No excuses. Her name is also to be removed from all titles and deeds to properties and vehicles we own jointly as soon as possible. That includes the house in Ireland she wanted as her own, as well as the vacation house in Portugal. As my finances paid for the bulk of it, I own more than fifty percent of everything. All are to remain in my name alone. Is that doable?" he asked. Sav took a swig of coffee. Legal matters don't usually go well with breakfast, but it was something he had no say in. He had to do this. He saw no need to drag things out further.

Robert gave a low whistle, "Seriously? All that? Yes, it can be done. It will take time, of course. I'll give her the time frame through Paul and go from there. I can fax you all the paperwork for your statements and signature and file in court as early as later this week."

"If you could, fax everything here to the hotel. Mark it 'Urgent'. I'm in the Silver Suite on the 5th floor. The hotel staff will let me know once it comes in and either bring it up to me or I can go down and get it. I can fax it back after reviewing and signing everything as long as the courts there accept copies with originals to follow by overnight courier," Sav told him.

"It sounds like you know how this works already, " Robert observed.

"I was married once, before Paige. It wasn't for very long, but the divorce was dragged out longer than necessary so the wife could get back at me. I don't want to go through that again with this one," he stated, venom creeping into his voice at the memories.

"Not to pry or anything, but have you talked this out with your kids and the rest of the family?" asked Robert.

"Not yet, but I plan to. Once I can figure out a video call on my laptop, I'll get my family caught up on what's happening. I'll see if Phil or one of the others can help me set things up. They're better at this stuff than I am. I'm expecting Paige will engage in spreading lies about the whole thing and about me. Haven't even told my mum or my brothers yet," Sav said.

"Don't wait too long on that. Especially regarding your mum, God bless her. You want to make sure Paige doesn't somehow manage to turn your family against you while she plays the victim in this. You and I both know she's not, but with the proper spin, she could do some major damage. I'll get right on this and get back to you, Rick. Don't worry. I'll do everything I can to insure that this doesn't get dragged out too long," Robert promised.

"Thank you, Robert. Talk to you soon," he said and hung up.

Sav took a big swig of coffee and poked at his breakfast plate. There wasn't much left, but it seemed he'd lost his appetite.

He thumbed open his texts and opened Holly's message. He needed a balm of sorts against the stress of dealing again with another divorce proceeding in his life. He read her message and smiled. She missed him. That made him feel good. While he knew that the attraction and chemistry between them was mutual, it felt good to know how she felt about him. The heart at the end of her message also made him smile. He thought about telling her about how he'd gotten the divorce shit going, but he didn't want to mislead her into thinking that it was because of her that he was doing what he was doing. Ultimately, Sav wanted some peace in his life and he was going to make sure he had it.

He opened a response screen and tapped out:

 _ **I drive you crazy, huh? I'm glad to hear that, beautiful. That feeling is mutual, in case you weren't aware. I have a photoshoot today and some promo stuff to deal with afterwards. Free after that. No show tonight. When you get back, call or text me and I'll come to you. If the hotel buffet is closed by then, room service will do. Or we can head out to a local place. Your choice. I've heard there's a ribs and blues place not far from here. Are you game? That 'free rubdown' you offered sounds tempting though. Does the ribs place have takeout? Call me when you can.** _<send>

Sav got up and went to the closet, thinking about what to wear for the photoshoot. He could go to the trunks downstairs and grab some of his show costumes and really mix things up, or he could just pull some street clothes and see what happens. If this was the easiest decision he made all day today, it would end up being a great day. 


End file.
